What is In a Name?

In Bible days your name defined you. One could hear your name and make accurate assumptions about you and your family. For example Jacob means surplanter, this is someone who takes the place of another which is fitting when we review the story of Jacob and Esau. In Genesis 32:28 (NKJV) Jacob’s identity was changed, his character was changed and his name was changed. “And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel;* for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.".” When Jacob became Israel his character changed, the way he was to be viewed and addressed changed all because of this one event in his life. 

Saul on the other hand means “called by God” or “asked for”. If we look at Acts 9:20-22 Saul just had scales removed from his eyes and he began proclaiming the name of God. He is not called Paul until we get to Acts 13:9 where we see him confronting a sorcerer. With his name change his dominion changed. He had more authority. Paul means little, or humble. It’s interesting that Paul went from his name having authority to his name meaning humility. He accomplished much more as a humble servant to God than he ever did as a persecutor. 

When I got married, like Jacob a single event changed my name, I was no longer LeeAnah Walters, single independent woman. I became LeeAnah James joined with Kristian James through this life unto death. This event changed the way people viewed and communicated with me. After this event I was able to speak on my husband’s behalf, and he on mine. I became Mrs. rather than Miss. I was no longer independent but co-dependent.

Motherhood on the other hand is a lot like Saul’s transformation it was a process. Once the seed was planted it had to grow and develop, things about me had to change. I had certain restrictions that I didn’t before. I had requirements I had to meet in order to properly sustain the seed. The responsibility came before the title change. Even before it was evident I was hard at work. Now I hold this beautiful girl in my arms with my new name mom, and have been given the authority to serve in a new capacity. 

Take the time to look at your names. What names do you want to change? What names have changed? What areas in your life is God changing your character or growing things in you?

Father,

Thank you for both those life changing moments and those character building journeys. As you continue to change our names in the different areas of our lives I pray for both awareness and strength for the journey. You word is ever relevant thank you for allowing us to apply it to our daily lives. I am so blessed that you love us so much that you tailor made your word to fit our individual situations. Cover us as we grow in your word. In Jesus name. Amen

My Life is a Letter

My life is not my own
It is a letter
To be read by those around me

A message of hope and peace
Trials and triumphs
Wisdom and understanding

Most importantly it is a delaration
Of Gods unchanging love
And salvation through His son Jesus

This letter may be interpurted
Through eyes that are hurting
Proud, angry or ashamed

However, the message remains
God is Love and
Love calls your name.

2 Cor. 3:2-4

Character Matters

My dad said this and I wanted to share this with you all.

"The Bible says what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and to loose his soul... It further begs the question what shall a man give in exchange for his soul. In these perilous times people have all but let go of every standard of integrity and character. In the end that's all we will have is our character and our name. God help you if they both don't line up. To do all that we do and be found a cast away would be such a great waste. Can you live for God in secret as you do in public? That's when you've got the Victory. Character Matters."

Thank you Pastor Walters for your words of wisdom

My brothers band check it out!!

All Things Work Together for Good

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

This week my best friend and I have been talking a lot about maintaning a positive attitude. For me because of this scripture it is easier for me not to get upset over day to day things than it is for them. When he asked me how I can be so happy all the time I referred him to this scripture. We have to believe 100% that everything that happens to us is for our benefit. At first glace when you see me or even while you are reading this you may assume that nothing bad has ever happened to me. Well let me tell you a few of my trials and triumphs.

When I was a little girl I was molested. I don't remember much about it but I do remember being in the corner in the closet scared with a a hole in my tights. A man whose face I can't remember but I know he was a relative, found me in the closet, took me to change my tights and told me not to ruin my great grandmothers birthday party. I was 7. I didn't tell my parents until I was 16 and about to leave the house. I knew had I said something earlier my father would have killed my assailant and I would have to grow up without my dad. How has this benefited me?

Well for one I became a person who didn't want "to ruin it". I always pushed my feelings aside thinking instead of the other person and how my feelings if vocalized may negatively effect them. This is something that I still struggle with sometimes. It is important to voice ones feelings to have an authentic relationship. On the other hand this deep level of empathy I developed helped me not to hold a grudge. I know that what happened to me was a result of something that more than likely happened to my molester. Understanding that, and that this horrible situation could be used for my benefit made it easier for me to forgive him and move on. God has allowed me to work with hundreds of girls over the past 6 years. Many of which were molested and never talked about it. Many of these young girls were ashamed, and deeply scarred. God has allowed me to be in there lives and help them through some of their healing.

If you are wondering, "how can I just do that"? "How can I just believe that everything all the time is going to work out for good. What about those impossible situations where everything is going wrong and I can see no good that can come from it?" I suggest you do two things. The first thing is to write down the hardest situations in you life. I mean those times where you felt most alone, where you felt the most hurt, pain or lack of understanding. Next write down positive things that have happened as a result of that situation. If you cant think of anything right away start with the obvious. Your still here. You survived. Try to avert the negatives dont write, "I'm glad he left me because I didn't need him anyway." Try instead to write, "It only gets better from here, I learned a lot so the next man that comes into my life will be better for me". This may take some time, and some soul searching and it may not be easy, but it is necessary.

The second thing for you to do is to speak positive words. "Faith comes by hearing". My mom used to make us say two positive things for every negative thing when my siblings and I would talk about each other. Do the same. When you find yourself thinking negative thoughts say out loud two positive things. For example when stuck in traffic. Rather than getting upset say, "Thank you God I may have just avoided an accident, or thank you God for allowing me more time with you or your kids, or who ever is in the car with you at the moment".

Before you know it you will believe that all things work out for your benefit. You will start to recognize and appreciate how God redeems the hard times. Say this scripture to yourself often and remember practice makes perfect. Christianity is the practice of operating in the teaching of Christ.

Father,
Help us to realize that we are you favorites. Reveal to us the depth of your love. Show us how you have or will redeem our past trials and tribulations. Help us to really believe that all things work together for our good. We know you are sovereign and that your word is true but help us to believe it and walk in that belief. Continue to shape and mold us, to make us more like you. We love you, we thank you. Amen.

We Make Our Plans God Changes Them

Lately it has been brought to my attention how little I trust God. Proverbs 16: 9 states, “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps” (NLT). I am very good at making plans it’s when the Lord orders my steps that I start to panic. Have you ever mapped out a plan? I mean a well detained 5 or 10 year plan. One where all the pieces seem to fit then God moves in your life. He turns your whole plan around to the point where you have to trust Him.

I am really good at making plans that require little of my faith and a lot of my effort. The hard thing is using little of my effort and a lot of my faith. When I hit these rough patches in my life I am often directed to the story of Joseph. Joseph knew he was destined for greatness, then out of nowhere he gets put in a pit, his integrity is attacked, he is thrown into prison and it seems all hope is lost. The bible doesn’t talk about Joseph making any plans for his life but we can tell from his story that he was one to be prepared. Here is the evidence about his character. First his father favored him and trusted him, he was then put over all Pilot owned, and even when he was put in prison he was placed in charge over prisoners. Joseph was a leader, and a dreamer and I am sure being put in a pit, sold into slavery, and thrown into prison was not his plan. God ordered his steps and he ended up right where God showed him he would be. Even more he was able to reconcile with his family who tossed him aside.

In life we get thrown curve balls, our plans fall through or completely change course. Instead of panicking we should be grateful holding on to the promise and call God has on our lives. He wants us to make plans, not so we can be disappointed but so our plans can look more and more like the plan He has for us. He wants us to get to the point where our trials and sacrifices are looked at as stepping stones and open doors.

James 1:2-4 states, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” The lesson for us in this is if we make our plans and God changes them, to trust Him wholly and completely. What we may see as trials and inconveniences in the changes of our plans are Gods way of shaping and molding us through our experiences to be more like Him.

Father,

Thank you for changing our plans. For opening doors and opportunities we otherwise may have missed. Though we feel we know best because we have lived the days of our lives, your word says you knew us even before conception. We trust your plan for our lives. Order our steps, open and close doors, and ultimately shape and mold us to be more like you. We love you.

A Voyice Used by God

http://www.examiner.com/gospel-music-in-riverside/a-voyice-used-by-god-1


This is a great article by Amanda Walters check it out!

Like Christ Loved the Church

Ephesians 5:25 has really been on my heart lately. The word if God instructs husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church. Well what does that mean for us the wives. Well I began to think about church, first we are the church our physical bodies. We live our lives consecrated to God to prepare an atmosphere within our hearts for Him to move in our lives. Even at the building the church services start with praise and worship to draw the attention of the congregation to the purpose for being there. Worship sets the atmosphere for God to move. I am not suggesting we worship our husbands but this does make one consider their responsibility to create the atmosphere for their marriage. Here are some questions to think on: Are you creating an atmosphere of open, honest, communication? Are you creating an atmosphere of encouragement? What are you contributing to the atmosphere when you argue? Are you fighting fair?

Father,
Help us create a positive, honest, atmosphere with our actions and words in our marriage and wherever we go. May your love pour out of us in all situations. Thank you for changing and shaping us. Amen

Words of Wisdom

This few days I spent at a spa with my mom, grandmothers, great grandmothers, and aunts and I wanted to share with you some bits of wisdom I picked up.

1. Never apologize for being you for being who God called you to be. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. So shrink for no one, hold your head high. Psalm 139:14

2. Don't be afraid. Fear manifest itself in many ways for some people they have to do everything under the sun because they are afraid of feeling inadequate, or they are afraid it won't get done if they don't do it themselves. Others may be so paralyzed by failure they don't try which limits their potential and the impact they could have on others. 2 Timothy 1:7

3. Perfection is being exactly who God has called you to be. There are no perfect circles in nature, there are no straight lines but everything fits. Nature exudes God's glory because every plant and creature is doing just what it was created to do. The only way we can reach perfection is to operated in the gifts and anointing that God has given us individually. 1 Kings 8:61

4. Worship is unique. Sure we worship together in church with music and hands raised. However, on your own, the way you communicate with God is unique to you. Some worship through the discovery of science, uncovering God's mysteries and sharing it with the world. Some worship through dance, moving freely to exalt The Creator. How you worship may look completely different than anyone else. God knows you and understands your worship completely. John 4:24

God,
Thank you for your revelation and the legacy you have given me. May this wisdom be passed down not only to and through my children but through the children of those who read this. I love you, I thank you.
Amen

Canvas vs. Clay

I was talking to my mom the other day and she gave me a few words of wisdom. Too often we live our life as if we have a blank canvas, and we have to paint this beautiful picture to present to God. We work so hard to make sure we have the right colors and textures, to make sure we include depth and range. Often times forgetting that none of the above things is our responsibility; we are clay.
Clay does nothing but what the potter shapes and molds it to do. It does not move on its own, it does not create something to be presented to the potter. Rather the potter is creating something out of the clay. When I was a little girl I would watch my aunt at the potter’s wheel. I was amazed at the ease in which she shaped and molded vases and cups, something that was hard for my little hands to do. As I reminisce about the clay in her hands, I never once heard her curse the clay for being clay. She never disapproved of the clay or what it had to bring. I don’t even think she saw the clay as the big ugly block that it was. She would wet her hands, sit down and make the clay into what she envisioned it to be.

We are clay. I don’t think God looks down on us judging us for what we do or don’t do. Measuring us based on our accomplishments rather He sees us for who we will be; as mothers, fathers, sisters, brother, missionaries, pastors, teachers, doctors, lawyers, etc. The bible says in Isaiah 46:10 that God sees things from the end to the beginning. Isn’t it wonderful that He sees us not as the big ugly block of clay we are but the beautiful masterpiece He is making us to be. Isn’t it amazing that we are not judged on our accomplishments on blank canvases but rather our willingness to be shaped and molded by Him?

Even Jesus was clay. He submitted and was obedient when He got baptized. He had not yet performed any documented miracles yet God still said to Him, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”. Be encouraged today to submit to the process that is life, to be shaped and molded to what God has called you to be. Not looking at the other beautiful pieces of pottery around you trying to conform to them but realizing that you are being formed and fashioned for a specific purpose.

Father,
Please shower us with you love, affirm us, shape us mold us. Give us the wisdom not to compare ourselves to the ideas we have of others. Not to create something to present to you but rather to present to you ourselves to be fashioned by you. Thank you for your grace and mercy. For being faithful even when we aren’t. We love you.
Amen

The Hurt Feelings Switch

Love is not easily offended…. I have a hurt feelings switch. We all do per my mother and she knows almost everything. I have worked long and hard to make my switch heavy, it is very hard to turn on…so I thought. Before I go into that, let’s look at the verse above from 1 Corinthians 13 it says, “love it not easily offended.” Well what is easy? This of course is relative. Multiplication is easy to a mathematician but to a 5 year old it’s foreign. So we have to look at ourselves, our lives, and our personal growth the things that offended us 10 years ago, 5 years ago even last year should not offend us the same way. Let me define offense. When I am talking about offense here I am referring to one individual intentionally or unintentionally trying to hurt you emotionally.

Okay so back to the hurt feeling switch. Someone flipped my switch and can you believe that, that heavy switch now defies gravity! It seems I can’t force it down. Every time I think about that person and what they said it brings tears to my eyes, I don’t want to flip the switch down. The thing is I know how this person thinks; I know this person said what they said to hurt me because they wanted me to feel as bad as I unintentionally made them feel. I know this person knows they went over the line and I also know they probably won’t apologize but they defiantly don’t hate me. Knowing these things should have made the switch slightly heavier, but it didn’t.
God had to reveal to me the growth in this situation. The growth that He was requiring me to make. What! Me! Did you hear what they said?! Do you know what they did and you want ME to GROW?! Yes God wants us to grow. One day this situation will rise again maybe with a different person or circumstance, but the expectation is for me to not be so quick to flip that switch. To use my understanding not to justify that persons antics, but to maintain my personal discipline and emotional control. The truth of the matter is folks that when we stand before God and He asks us why we didn’t do what He said to do, using the excuse that someone flipped your hurt feelings switch will not be an sufficient answer.

Father,
Help us to be more like you. Continue to shape us and challenge us, show us how to show and receive true love with no strings attached. Make our hurt feelings switch heavier by the day and when we flip that switch father give us grace to bring it back down. We love you and we thank you for daily transformation.
Amen.

Would A God of Love Do That?

I was listening to a very interesting coversation about the character of God. When one co-worker mentioned that natural disasters are sometimes seen as punishment from God, another co-worker asked "Would a God of love do that?" It was interesting because God is love but that does not mean He is a pushover. There are still consequences for ones actions, the bible says, in Proverbs 29:15 "The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left [to himself] bringeth his mother to shame." Further verse 17 says, "Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul." So a God of love would correct and dicipline His children because He will not call us to do anything He wouldn't do.

Well naturally the next question would be, "Would God punish a nation?" There are many examples of this in the Old Testament, Noah's hometown and the world was flooded (God promised not to flood the entire world agian), Soddom and Gomorah, He even punished Isreal and for years they were enslaved then walked through the wilderness.

After Christ died on the cross, and rose again we were afforded grace, however, the character of God did not change. Hebrews 13:8 say, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

I am not saying that naturally disasters are punishments from God, but they could be. It can also simply be the result of our free will; we make decisions concerning our enviorment on a daily basis that effect the eco-system, another reason can be that God simply allows things to happen so future events can occur (if children don't learn to get up after falling they wont learn how to walk).

Be blessed.

Happiness or Love?

I realized the other day I am constantly being bombarded with the things the world says that sounds good but goes against everything God says. Like, "You do you, I will do me." or "If you like it, I love it." I have said both of these things and recently; just because it’s easier than taking the time or energy to care. Or how about, "I just want you to be happy."

This is something my mom never said to me and with good reason. There are things that make people happy like drugs, sex, booze, if that were the case if it was of most importance for everyone to be happy and to stay in their own little bubble then what would be the point of love. Love stretches both the giver and receiver it’s sometimes uncomfortable for both parties but is more necessary than happiness. Love understands that addiction, illness and helplessness are real, love weights the risks and the benefits and love acts accordingly regardless of one’s happiness. I wonder if this world will ever stop chasing the illusion of happiness and just open up to receive perfect love. Who knows one day they may look up and be happy.

God help us to live up to your definition of love (1 Corinthians 13) rather than chasing the worlds definition of happiness. Shape us and mold us to be more like you.