Stay in Your Chains

Do you feel stuck in your situation? Do you feel like there’s no way out? Have you ever thought that God has you right where he wants you? Have you thought about those that are going to come to Christ because of your testimony? There were two disciples who wound up in prison. Paul and Silas. Did they sing sad songs of why me and have pity parties of despair? No. The bible states that they were singing songs and praying.

²⁵ But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. ²⁷ And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. ²⁸ But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”

²⁹ Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

³¹ So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Acts 16:25-31

Paul and Silas were set free from their chains but they didn’t leave their prison. Why? Because of the jailer who was going to come to know Christ and hear the gospel. Sometimes the Lord has you in prison because of those around you who are in bondage and will be set free. It’s important to discern the Lord’s voice to know when to stay and when to go.

And do you know what happened after the jailor gave his heart to Christ? Paul and Silas went back to prison. They were released the next morning but they went back to the prison. Why? Because the jailor would’ve been executed if they had shown up missing. They sacrificed their freedom for a little while so that the jailor could be free from the bondage of sin and give his heart to Christ.

With this covid19 virus do you feel like you don’t serve a purpose where God has you? I kind of feel that way, which surprises me because I feel like my job is a calling God has placed on my life. We don’t have as many customers as we used to and I miss interacting with them and I question am I making a difference? The answer is yes of course I am because I am shining the light of Christ into everyone I meet. Christ is setting the captives free. Even if I shine the light of Christ into just one person I’m making a difference. I encourage you to stay put where you are in this moment and ask God where he wants you to be.

Don’t worry.

He’ll show you the way.

Pray and sing songs while you wait.

Maybe God is waiting for you to ask him the right question.  

He’s listening.

Raise up your voice to his tuned in ears.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z

Stretch Out Your Tents

God is calling me out of my comfort zone to stretch me and grow me. God will grow us even in our failings and mistakes. Peter is a fine example of someone who made a mistake and was still used by God. On the day Christ was crucified Peter denied knowing Christ three times. Three times! This did not stop Jesus from giving him a commission to feed his sheep and build his church. So too will Christ give us a second chance when we make mistakes. Even when we make mistakes daily Christ is with us. Christ is with us and wants us to succeed so he gives us multiple chances. His grace never fails us. He will always give us another chance to prove ourselves to him. Christ wants to take us from where he found us to be closer to him and more like him. Christ wants us to shine his light into other’s lives. Christ did this with Peter. God called Peter out of his comfort zone. When Peter met Christ he was a fisherman and his name was Simon. Christ changed Simon’s name to Peter which means rock. Christ turned Peter from a fisherman into a fisher of men, a disciple of Christ. After Christ died Peter was instrumental in building up the first church and ministering to the hearts of thousands.

There’s another apostle that the Lord spoke to after his death and resurrection. His name was Saul and when Saul met Christ he persecuted Christians. Christ changed his name to Paul and Paul wrote much of the new testament. He was instrumental in spreading the gospel throughout the world. Christ has a way of changing us from who we were to who he made us to be. I fully believe that those of you reading this will be used by Christ in a mighty way. I believe Christ is telling us all to stretch out our tents so that we can hold the increase that is coming our way. He’s building us up for his kingdom to reach out to those that only we can reach out to. There are people out there who wouldn’t listen if Christ himself was speaking to them, but will listen to what you have to say. Why? Because they know you and when you have a life transformed by Christ it speaks volumes. I encourage you dear readers speak of what Christ has done for you it will make a difference in someone’s life.

    Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be though confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. Isaiah 54:2-4 (KJV)

    I love the above scripture. In verse 5 it speaks of the Lord as our husband which I just love. I believe the Lord is stretching us out of our comfort zone to increase the influence we will have on others. We are being set free from anxiety, doubt, worry, fear. The word says perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18) and the Lord is casting that fear away from us much like a fisherman casts his nets away from him. The net of our fears will bring back the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control (Galatians 5:22-23)

    So here’s where I’m at dear readers. I believe the Lord is stretching me. He’s taking me past my comfort zone so I can be who he called me to be. Much like he called Peter and Paul. Much like he’s calling you. You may think that the Lord is not using you right where you are at, but I want you to know that he is using you right where you are. No matter what you do in life the Lord is using you to shine a light into people’s lives. Are you a Christ follower? If you are, you do shine the light of Christ out of you and God has a mighty work he wants you to do so cast out the net of your fear and catch some fruits of the Spirit.

What’s the Lord stretching your tents to receive?

I believe the Lord is going to increase the audience for this blog and my book, Set Free Through Christ Who Strengthens Me. I can’t wait to see the lives that are going to change by God using me to reach out to the lost and the hurting.

Thank you dear reader I so appreciate the opportunity to share a piece of my walk with Christ with you.

What’s God calling you to do?

Can you take a step toward it today and walk by faith and not by sight?

Share it with me. I’m listening.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z

Breaking Through

I came across a new author on Facebook called John Roedel. He wrote this book called Hey God, Hey John. He writes and God speaks to him. So he’ll write Me: and ask a question or give a statement and then he’ll write God and God responds. It is so cool and reminds me so much of what God does through me. God will say to me in my journal my child I’m here and I know it’s God because I definitely don’t call myself my child. I’m veering off the reservation a little bit so let me get back on track. So a friend of mine posted some of Roedel’s work and it just really spoke to me. I don’t want to include it here because his work belongs to him. Look on my Facebook page for today and you’ll find what I’m talking about. Part of his conversation with God was him saying that he’s falling apart and he said he’s breaking down and God’s response was you are breaking through. So I took you’re breaking through and ran with it.

What I like best about this is that the breaking through is just so powerful. I’m breaking through anxiety. I’m breaking through fear. I’m breaking through depression. I’m breaking through lust. I’m breaking through unforgiveness. I’m breaking through lack of confidence. I’m breaking through disappointment. I’m breaking through hardship. I’m breaking through just surviving. I’m breaking through rejection. I’m breaking through lack of self-worth. I’m breaking through what people think of me. I’m breaking through the walls of my heart. Little by little, inch by inch I’m breaking through everything that has me tethered to my past. I’m breaking through wishful thinking. I’m breaking through a wondering mind. I’m breaking through soul ties. I’m breaking through all the weight I’ve carried for all these years. I’m breaking through waiting for a husband. I’m breaking through waiting for my future children to come along. I’m breaking through and I’m lifting my hands to the sky and asking Jesus to take all my burdens. To take what does not serve me well and transform and renew my mind. I’m breaking through legalism. I am not bound to the law I am set free by the Spirit. Grace abounds. I’m breaking through hiding who I truly am. The mask is off. This is me I’ve come so far and I don’t intend to turn back now.

God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. Romans 5:20 NLT

What is your breaking through moment today?

Share your thoughts with me.

I’m listening.

Genuinely Yours,
Amy Z.

Stand Strong

So God’s put something on my heart that I would like to share with you. This is snippet of a journal entry in which I believe the Lord is speaking to me.

I’m proud of you Amy. Don’t you realize that not once did you give up. You’ve made it through all the times you felt you couldn’t get out of bed, sleepless nights, hard things, easy things and in between things. Look at with your book. Yes, you went around the mountain, but you kept putting one foot in front of the other and look your book is going to be published. You are so close to the finish line. I’m so very proud of you. You have a choice, give up or stand strong. You stand strong every single time. Every single time. You won’t give up now. It’s built into your character. Even as a child with school you were determined to go. You’ve been determined from a young age. So stop doubting yourself. You won’t give up. You stand strong every single time.

So I love the concept of stand strong. I refuse to give up because I know that God has something better for me on the other side of whatever challenge I’m facing. God is increasing me and I know my book is going to be a big hit so he has to prepare my heart for the increase. I also like 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, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

I’ll say it again I refuse to give up. Why because all my hope is in Jesus and I thank God my yesterday is gone that’s a line from one of my favorite songs called All My Hope by Crowder. I just know there’s brighter things ahead of me. No matter what challenge I face I will stand strong. Will you stand strong with me today? What is your stand strong moment? Share it with me.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z.

Win or Lose

I want to talk about battles today. What battle are you facing? I want you to know that it is in the fighting of the battle that we win. If we don’t fight the battle we lose.

There was a time with Moses where he held his hands up and the Israelites were winning the battle when he put his hands down they were losing the battle. Aaron and Hur came alongside Moses and held his hands up for him. So too do we need people to come alongside us and help us fight the battle.

And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Exodus 17:11-13

If we don’t fight the battle, then we’ve already lost. It’s in fighting the battle that we win. What’s your battle? Mine is anxiety. When I don’t fight the anxious thoughts with God’s word I lose and wind up cycling those thoughts in my mind. When I do pray against the thoughts or quote scripture I win the battle of anxiety. I just encourage you dear readers to fight the battles that you are facing. You will win no matter what the outcome because you stood your ground and fought the battle. One of the blessings of knowing God is sometimes we need only be still and he fights the battle for us.

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

Take courage mighty warrior you can fight and know that God will come through for you.

What battle do you need to fight?

What battle do you need to be still in?

Share your thoughts with me.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z

Push Forward or Stand Still

Dear readers I have a resolve to share with you. I’m pushing forward through anxiety I’m not going to let it stop me. Why do I push forward? Because I know what it’s like to just stand still. It gets you nowhere. I push forward because I have hope in Christ. I know there’s a victory on the other side of this. How do I know this because I’ve had victories in my life and those victories happened when I was pushing forward not standing still.

If you look at David when he fought the giant, Goliath, he knew there was victory because of his relationship with the Lord. He had seen the Lord bring victories in his past. For instance, his sheep were attacked by a bear and a lion and God delivered David’s sheep out of the mouth of predators. Therefore, David knew God would deliver him from Goliath. David didn’t stand still he faced Goliath with a sling and a stone in his hand he knocked down the giant and removed his head with his own sword. David took action.

Let’s look at Joshua. He knew what it was to stand still. He was one of the 12 spies that sought out the promised land to see if the occupants could be defeated. 10 of the spies gave a bad report saying they would lose the battle. Joshua and Caleb said the Lord would deliver them from their enemies. Because of the bad report the people didn’t go into the land. They figuratively stood still for 40 years. Joshua knew what it was to stand still in the area of disbelief. He was the victim of others disbelief causing all the people to have to stand still. Have you ever stood in disbelief? I have. But no more. I’m striving forward. Joshua also had his pushing forward moment when he crossed the Jordan river into the promised land. The people who thought their enemies would defeat them were all dead. Their generation died in the wilderness because of disbelief. Because of standing still. When it was time to step into the promised land God told Joshua,

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:9

Why can we push forward? The Lord is with us so we do not need to be afraid.

I don’t want to stand still. Do you? Don’t you want to step into the promised land that the Lord has for you? I promise you it’s better than where you are right now. If you’re stuck in the same pattern of standing still I encourage you to do what Paul did.

Brethern, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those thing which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

This is how we push forward. Forget the past. Cling to Jesus. Stop standing still and put one foot in front of the other. There is victory on the other side of your circumstance. There is hope in Christ. He will never leave us nor forsake us; therefore, we will be victorious.

The Distance Between Us

Who came up with the term “social distancing”? Did they know the weight of it? Did they know the burden it would bear? Did they know what we would lose? Did it far outweigh what we gained?

                Our loss is tangible. What’s missing? The touch of a mother’s hand across her child’s cheek. The beauty of a smile now hidden underneath. A handshake when meeting someone for the first time. A hug between two well met friends. The embrace of a loved one. A greeting hello. The silence is deafening. People don’t talk to each other now. They avoid eye contact as if we could catch the virus with our eyes. Fear runs rampant in the streets. Toilet paper flies off the shelves and it leaves us wondering how did we get here and when are we going to get back what we lost? We can’t. Life will never be the same. I don’t know what will be different but it will never be the same. I will never be the same. Who I am today is not who I was two months ago when this all started. I thought the virus was something far away from me and before I knew it my workplace was closed to the public. Before I knew it masks had to be worn everywhere you went and I didn’t even know what COVID19 was. Now everything I do is marred by antibacterial soap, hand sanitizer, hand washing, masks everything that is supposed to keep me safe is locking people out of my life. Fear runs rampant but there’s also the careful balance of love and good deeds. Not only have we lost there are things we’ve gained. Kindness is also running rampant. People are meeting in cars in the parking lots of hospitals praying for the staff. People are doing car dance parties to provide some entertainment in the monotony of staying inside. Children are making pizzas and delivering them for first responders. Loved ones and teachers of high school graduates are bringing signs of congratulations and staying outside encouraging their grads. (Insert here) the acts of kindness you’ve witnessed. There’s the careful balance of the good and the bad.

It’s given me an appreciation for so much in my life. One thing I am most grateful for is my relationship with God. He loves me so much and he’s protecting me from the virus. I bet you’re wondering where is God in all this? Consider the following scripture.

 

And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch? Luke 6:39

Study note in my bible, This parable is a warning about following the wrong person. Spiritually blind leaders mislead disciples (Holman KJV Study Bible 2012).

God is the one leading us but so often we turn to others and follow their ways. Are we the blind during this virus? I think we are blind to what God is trying to do in us during this time. He’s working so many things out of my heart. I have a new found appreciation for my employer and my staff. I appreciate where I’m at in my walk with God. I have battled anxiety for years and I’m at the finish line of anxiety; I can see the end of it. It used to be a mountain in front of me and now it’s a pebble in my shoe, something so small I can kick it out of the way as I run the race. I’m working in a different department during this time helping with clerical work. It has me doing filing mostly and it is pretty easy. I feel like it’s a nice break from being in charge because I’m the boss where I normally work. However, I love what I do. I feel it is a calling on my life and I can’t wait to get back to being in charge again because God called me to be a leader. But during this time I’m taking a step back and listening more than I speak. I want to see what can I hear when I let go of the distraction of my ego.

So what’s life after COVID19 going to look like? We will never get back to life the way it was but do we really want to? There are plenty of things I miss but people no longer have the distractions of life weighing them down. People are probably communicating more now than they ever have with all the extra time at home. I don’t know what post COVID19 life looks like. I don’t know how long it’s going to take but I pray that I don’t forget the lessons I’ve learned. I never want to take life for granted ever again.

When this is all over I’m going to hug everyone I know and I’m gonna hold on a little bit longer because I want them to feel the love I have for them. I can’t wait to get back to church and see how my church family is doing. I can’t wait to go to the movies and get some movie popcorn.

What about you dear reader? What do you miss most? What’s the first thing you’re going to do once it’s all over? What have you learned during this time? Please share your thoughts with me.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z