When I was a girl, I was a part of “Girls Auxilliary” which was a Baptist group for girls. We learned scripture, had fellowship, and did mission projects in our state and community. We passed “steps” according to our ages, which consisted of memorizing scripture and doing projects for others. The GA “watchword” (which is like a motto) was the first part of Isaiah 60:1. “Arise, shine, for your light has come…”

This scripture is forever placed in my heart and mind. Sometimes my mother used it to wake me and my sister up in the morning. The rest of the verse is beautiful and it goes like this: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.”

If you woke up today feeling down, talk to The Spirit as soon as you can do so. That’s always — always – first. No matter how you feel, up or down, He is your Guide. Then, as He points the way, the following is a little light to point out a way to fall into step with Him this very day.

Bless someone else today.

Get your mind off of your feelings and go brighten someone’s day. Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

So then, go forth today and SHINE! Go past your feelings, go past your worries, go past your “past,” and walk into a place where another person will be blessed through you. Remember that you are God’s Own Hands and Feet and Tongue and Eyes and Smile and Ears and, and, and…

You.

God chooses to use YOU to be His servant. And doing that blesses HIS Heart! What a thing…you will bless God’s Heart, bless another person, and in the end? You will find that you are doubly blessed. You will feel better – inside and out. God promises blessings in obedience. God never, ever, walks back on any promise He makes. He is true to His Own Word…true to Himself.

So, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.” Bless someone today and it will come right back to you. You can do this…you have all of the power of The Spirit and He will bring blessings through you. He will!

Amen, amen, and amen.

This devotion is from “God Calling” which was edited by A.J. Russell. It is written as if God were speaking.

“Yes. Love Me until just to think of Me means Joy and rapture. Gladness at the thought of One very near and dear.”

“It is the balm for all sorrows, the thought of Me. Healing for all physical, mental and spiritual ills you can always find in thinking of Me, and speaking to Me.”

“Are doubts and fears in your hearts? Then think of Me, speak to Me. Instead of those fears and doubts there will flow into your heart and being such sweet Joy, as is beyond any joy of Earth.”

“This is unfailing. Never doubt it. Courage. Courage. Courage. Fear nothing. Rejoice even in the darkest places. Rejoice.”

Amen and amen.

This is a very short word from God today. I am hearing it for me and I am to share it with you.

God wants to draw nearer to you today. He wants your full attention. Full. Attention. Do you have the audacity, courage, and guts to give that to Him? What are you afraid of? What do you have to lose? You already have given Him your heart and trusted Him for your salvation. How about giving Him the rest? Your mind, your strength, your soul, your every breath, your job, your money, your body, your cares – does He have your ALL?

How about stepping out of your churchgoing “tradition” and what you “know” about The Spirit? Are you willing to run into His Arms and into a new life? Are you willing to bless HIS Heart?

Sometimes the most important words we need from The Spirit are the shortest ones…

“May I hold you FULLY in my Arms?”

Today, September 22nd, is the first day of autumn! It’s my favorite season of all. There’s something about enjoying cool weather after the summer’s heat, as well as seeing pumpkins, drinking apple cider, and gazing at colorful leaves that makes me happy.

This post will be simple and there is homework. God’s ways are simple and as you learn you grow. Learning about God is one of the best things you get to do while you walk the earth. He’s like a diamond with more facets than you can count. As He turns a new facet your way it’s a beautiful opportunity to see Him in a new light. The Light. The Light Of The World. He is Almighty God Who allows you into the Throne Room.

“Thank you, Jesus, for opening the way inside so that all of us can fellowship with The Triune God!”

Today, at some point during your day, spend good time with The Spirit. He is calling you to hang out with Him today. He’ll tell you when, and He’ll speak to you even while you’re busy, calling you to be with Him for a while. And when He does, obey His command. Sit or take a walk, a run, or even a drive with Him and be blessed.

Whatever happens as you’re with Him is meant to be. It could be silence, the peace that comes with quiet. Perhaps you need that calmness today. God loves you so much; you are chosen to be His child. Are you a bit down? Enjoy Him today. Sit at His Feet and allow His love to fall on you like a great waterfall. “Deep calls to deep…” Jesus loves to bless you and wants your company way more than you want His!

Let’s get back to Eden today and walk with God in the garden. Today it’s full of beautiful colors and cool breezes. I think that God loves all things autumn – after all, He created it. Since He loves you the most, celebrating the season with Him will be an amazing blessing. Warning: when you spend time with The Spirit, you are hooked. HE’S THAT FABULOUS! Have a wonderful time with The Spirit today! Dance in the yard and kick up some leaves!

Happy Monday to you! It’s a brand new week to grow in Christ, and a brand new day to follow The Spirit.

One symptom of bipolar disease, among some people, is to repeat thoughts and words. I have been given a direction from The Spirit to use this symptom as a strength and as a help in walking the path with Him.

This symptom is absolutely perfect for using the weapon that God has given us! In fact, we are blessed because we already possess what needs to happen: speaking the truth again and again.

The Spirit reveals to you the scripture (weapon) that you are to speak to the enemy for each situation where you find yourself. This is why you are to read scripture over and over. The more you read a passage, the more you remember it, and so when you need to speak it out loud you can do it.

There are two things to remember. First, the enemy is not omniscient – that means that he cannot read your mind. Only GOD can read your mind. So you have to speak out loud.

Second, you don’t have to perfectly say the exact words used in the scripture. Instead of, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies,” (which is from the King James Bible that many people know) – you can say, “God has given me everything that I need right now!” That is the exact same thought that the scripture is conveying. It’s about what it says…not using the same wording, which would be like using a “spell” and God is above such. Way above such. So then, in this example, God has set your table and places on your plate exactly what you need to use in that particular setting. “God has given me everything I need right now!” And if you want to use the same biblical words, go for it! They are beautiful, they are poetry. This is about using your weapon, not saying the exact words.

Use your weapon all the time by speaking out loud. Say the words He gives with confidence in The Spirit. Say them and then follow Him as you go forward. Just step out in faith, and AS you walk forward He will guide you. He never leaves you, never forsakes you, no matter what you’ve said or done. He will keep you in His Care. God knows how to tend to those who are His Own.

Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. If you tend to repeat phrases as a symptom, then use them to God’s Glory! Not only will He be glorified, you will benefit greatly as His child. It will take time to learn this. It will not be instant. Your words and phrases are already inside of your mind and come out of your mouth. Be gentle with yourself as you change. God is gentle with us; He knows that it takes time to learn His ways. Again, this will not be instant. Follow The Spirit and He will guide you along. In time you will know what to repeat during your days and nights. He will change the words in your head.

Ask Him to give you the ground you are standing on. He will. I dare you to obey Him in this…

Imagine a cup filled with water. When the cup is shaken or jostled, water spills out. Make sure that God’s word is deeply ingrained inside of you, so when life brings the shaking, what spills out will automatically be His words. The Spirit will put it in your mind and then speak it – OUT LOUD. And as you tend to repeat, then repeat His word, even when you are not being jostled. His words are power. His words are strength. His words are life…life everlasting. So repeat as much as possible.

May God bless you as you go forward in Him this week. Like David, God bless you as you use your weapon to slay your Goliath! Get that sword OUT of the scabbard and use it…

It’s been quite a day. I have been busy but haven’t gotten very much done. This post is coming in later this evening because I’ve succumbed to distractions all day long. It’s been hard for me not to notice the sparkler in the corner of the room.

Suffice it to say there is only One Who can get me out of my head. The Holy Spirit. He is The One Who is able to get my attention and snap me out of things. As I turn my head to His Voice I am able to once again focus on Him.

This will be a short and sweet post…I am doing my best to hold the mania down, because when I am so distracted it seems to grow. I have to be still and allow Living Water to wash me clean. God doesn’t run after me holding His Living Water pitcher. He puts His Hand on my head and I am comforted. His Arms hold me close and I become still. This is the Father He really is, picking me up when I am darting all over the place and holding my head close to His Heart. The peace and comfort is immeasurable…

Peace. Joy. Calm. God knows how to tend to His children. When you hear Him, stop and listen. You will end up being better for it. Duh, right?

Make sure that you have one ear open to hear Him today!

“When it’s 2 a.m. and the room is lined with shadows,

turn your eyes toward the window —

to the little light burn of the street lamp,

the white star,

the flickering red light of the airplane passing by….

breathe deep, breathe deep.

it is okay

to feel a little out of place

in this dark and restless space

and come falling,

falling into grace.

And know this is still true:

‘Lo, I am with you until the end of the earth,

even at restless 2 a.m.’s,

even when it hurts.’

So turn on the music,

open the book,

you do not have to count the hours.

You may have lost your share of sleep,

but Light will never lose the glory,

and no matter how long these late nights last,

the sun is on the way

with mercy in the morning.”

Morgan Harper Nichols

In the past few days I have understood even more that God can cause clipped wings to grow back.

I thought that my desire to dance was something that had been a child’s idea. I paid no attention to this call for various reasons and didn’t think much of it as I grew up. I focused on worship for sure. Singing was my way to express my love for Him.

As it turns out, dancing is one of the things that God has had in mind for me to do all my life. As I listen to Him, sitting quietly at His Feet, I’m hearing more and more beautiful things. This direction is one that He has told me for years now. I pushed it back over and over again.

“Dance.”

I actually heard Him say it. But that’s another story for another time. One word. “Dance.” He said it to me more than 20 years ago. I pushed it back. I’m a Baptist girl (HA) – I don’t know how to dance. I sure don’t look like a dancer – what do You mean? Over and over and over – I saw it everywhere, on car tags (DANC4GOD – see? I remember it,) in devotions, in scripture, in conversations with people, etc. etc. etc. “Dance.”

When we moved to Hillsborough (20 years ago this September,) our landline number was the former number for “Hillsborough School Of Dance.” For YEARS we got calls asking for “Hillsborough School Of Dance.” I laughed it off most of the time, but some of the time, I wondered if this was God trying to get my lame attention.

Suffice it to say that now that I’ve thrown in the white flag He is moving and shaking. I’m dancing. I’m free to move in Him, free to dance with all my heart. He’s doing everything needed. Jehovah Jireh – our God is Provider! I am watching His Hand move on behalf of His daughters through the power of His Spirit! He’s opening doors: providing space, people, timing, money, and new ways to use this for His Glory. This is a worship ministry – a different kind of worship, for ladies of all ages. This is brand new wine in a brand new wine-skin and I stand amazed in His Presence. This holy baseball has come out of left field for sure!

As He has pruned my branch that had fruit growing on it, just below the place where He cut are branches that are full of life. I didn’t know that they were there. But they are! They’re new and tender. Now they’re exposed to The Son and can grow to His delight and to His will. I truly am moving with The Spirit because I have no other recourse. I have no idea what this is. Wanna see God work? Follow in obedience as He calls you to something new, something that you have no clue how to pursue. In front of you He will move His Hand. But shouldn’t we always be doing this? Always allowing Him to show us, even though we have done the ministry He has called us to for a long time? I have been running on tradition, filling in the slots, and doing things like they are supposed to be done. God has had other ideas.

Just know this: if God desires it, clipped wings do grow back!

Is there more growing underneath you – your branch that is hooked to The Vine? Ask Him to show you the way. Then wait on His answer; it may take time, but He will answer you. Watch His Hand move and be amazed! Don’t push back on what you hear from Him…especially if it’s very weird. God is “Other” and moves in different ways. Praise His Holy Name!

Did you see the movie “Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade?” Do you remember the scene where Indy had to find where the holy Grail was kept? He had to go through three challenges to get to the cup. The last challenge required him to trust that a bridge was in front of him, in spite of it being invisible to his eyes. He had to have faith to step out, even though all that he saw was a great divide between where he stood and the other side. The divide was too big to jump, so he had to believe that there was a walkway.

You know the rest. He did it, he stepped out. Of course, he’s Indiana Jones! He ended up where he wanted to be, found the true Grail, and all ended well for the good guys in the end.

This is how my life is going now. I am walking brand new paths and stepping out into the unknown, trusting that there will be a place for my feet to walk. God has been speaking. I have no other recourse but to listen to Him, and I am eternally grateful for what He’s doing. He has put me in a place where it’s quiet and still. I have never felt such peace, and that’s because I have been removed from my being busy for Him. I was in His Holy Kitchen making food with The Chef as He fed us all. He took my hand and said, “Come with Me and sit down at My Table.” There it is again – His Table…

He is The God Of New Things! Is this scary? You bet. Is this beautiful? You bet. Is this fruitful? You bet. I have never felt such peace in my life. Such joy. Such Presence.

Please know this: I have done nothing to deserve His kindness. I am so flawed it isn’t funny. The only thing I have done is to be more obedient to what He says to me, to the way He leads me during the day, and to His still, small voice. I still go my own way sometimes, so don’t get the idea I’ve got this down. Ha! No.

But one thing I have found out: when I seek Him, His Voice, His Presence – He’s always here! He is with me and He always waits for me to gaze at Him. It’s just that I’m gazing more, listening more, because He has placed me on a new pillow at a low Table in the Throne Room. At His Feet, I gaze up at His Beautiful Face and listen. “Please Lord, help me to stay here with You…” It’s peaceful to be low at His Feet.

It’s been a journey to get here…going over some hard hurdles, through some interesting hoops, and past weird challenges, which made me think of that scene in the movie. God says “Follow Me.” So I am doing that and the journey is now in places I am not familiar with at all. On we go…

God is asking someone reading this today to follow Him to a brand new place. Are you that person?

Please use this post as a confirmation that He is speaking to you and wants you to go with Him on a new path. Begin today! Begin now! Don’t delay…sit with Him and quietly listen today. He will tell you the next step, you will perceive it. He loves you more than anyone in the universe and will guide you to where you will find complete joy, which is in Him. Remember our lesson: little by little He will guide you. One day at a time, one step at a time you will walk with Him on your new path.

Here’s your sword against the enemy’s obstacles that are thrown in your way: “For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?” Isaiah 14:27 Remember that you must SPEAK it out loud.

I am praying for you. God says there is a walkway even though you can’t see it. Trust Him and step out!

I have a bug bite on my toe that has become infected, and the infection has spread up my leg a bit. For a few days now I’m having to sit with my foot up as it heals. I have been seen by the medical people and am on meds. Little by little it’s getting better…but only little by little. If I could have a magic wand I’d wave it over my foot and say “presto chango!” Then it would be whole. HA HA…what an idea!

If there’s one thing I know it’s that God does not work on our time schedule. He teaches us patience whether we want to learn or not. In fact, we have to be patient in order to learn patience. It’s a lesson that’s doubled somehow because learning it will require some of it. Think of patience as a perfume. We put a teaspoon of patience that He has already given us into His Hand and then He adds a tablespoon to it. In time we’re putting a tablespoon in His Hand and He adds a cup. This goes up a bit at a time and before we know it we’re pouring vats of it on His Lap and He adds the ocean to our vats!

In doing this we learn how to “wait on the Lord.”

Why do we have to wait like this? I’ve asked God this question on tons of occasions and there’s one verse that sticks out to me that I want to share with everyone. I said, “I want this NOW and you’re holding back! You know that I need to have this, I know You want me to have this, what’s the deal?”

Here is what God said to my heart. He gave me Exodus 23:27-30. The backstory is that God is instructing His people on what will happen when they go into the Promised Land. Part of His words are these:

²⁷ “I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run. ²⁸ I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. ²⁹ But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. ³⁰ Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.”

So now when I moan about God being slow, The Spirit stamps those words into my mind: “Little by little…”

There are many reasons why God chooses to take His time in your situation. One is to strengthen your faith. He isn’t a Genie. Another is that He spaces out the temptations you’ll face and the battles you’ll fight and overcome. One day at a time, one battle at a time, and one victory at a time. Each battle is different. In one you’ll need to speak scripture, using the “sword of The Spirit.” In one you’ll need to hold your “shield of faith” up. In one, you’ll need to kick your feet that have shoes of “the gospel of peace.” The battles are all different and you’ll learn how to fight as you listen to The Spirit tell you what to do. The perfume of patience increases with each battle.

Once God told me, “Ivy, you will not move My Hand.” I can take you to the place in Apex where I heard this word. It’s hard to try NOT to help Him. Now isn’t that funny? Hey y’all…let’s help God know that He needs to hurry! Ha! Now of course we need to pray these words…it’s important to pour our hearts out to Him. Everything we feel, everything we need to say, we have to say. I still say in my prayers, “God! I need this now – please!!” And sometimes again I see those words. “Little by little…” Sometimes He gives what I asked for that very day! Again, God knows how to time things properly.

He knows our hearts and loves us in the middle of our moaning and groaning. But when we go along with His Spirit and His timing, then we find that things are new and different and beautiful. The wait is more than worth it in the end. More than worth it.

I’m writing this on my front porch, sitting in the rocking chair, with my feet up. It’s raining gently, a sweet and fragrant summer rain. I wish you were here, too. God reminds me in every drop that He will supply all of my needs like rain, pouring down from His Throne everything I need this day and every day. As the rain slows down, the sky is getting lighter and the dark gray clouds have passed by. The breeze lasts a long time and I breathe it all in. In time He brings my healing. Physically, mentally, and spiritually, He provides healing. He is Jehovah Rapha – The God Who Heals. He is here with me. I feel His Presence.

He is with you even now. Take a moment to breathe in His Breath – the oxygen that you breathe came from Him in the beginning. As I’ve written before, you breathe His breath every moment of your life. Try to remember that often. Walk with Him this day and lean on His wisdom for your patience. One day at a time you’ll receive everything you need.

Jesus. He’s Everything you need… Amen.