Melishawtay haAaAy - 2

Once again, reading your posts makes me all kinds of excited to serve and grow with you all this summer. You encourage me with how much faith you have through your crazy weeks and your insights on the Word. Can't wait til we're all together! No lie.

This past week I've been really thinking about the sermon on Joshua who led God's people to overcome enemies and inherit the land. The memory verse was from 1 Corinthians 16:13-14: "Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love." I've been needing this kind of encouragement because lately I've been feeling defeated where every time I come before God, I feel like a total disappointment. I want to live wholeheartedly for Him, but I can't, like the same sins keep biting me in the butt. But God used His Word this past week to remind me it is NOT up to ME to love and obey Him; it's His Spirit and power within me. Thank God that the cross of Jesus is our salvation - errday all day I need to be reminded of the truth that I am already forgiven, free, and approved by Him. 

So when I read Isaiah 9:1-2 that "the people walking in darkness have seen a great light", I was like TRUEDAT. It's easy for me to think that I'm going back to my old ways when I was living in darkness, 'livin younnggg and wilddd and freee...'. But ever since Jesus lit up my life, I'll never get trapped in that again. The temptations will be there, and sometimes I may stumble, but I no longer walk in darkness - that's a FACT. And the Holy Spirit is my witness, because I now I feel the strain in this battle against sin and the enemy when before I used to be numb to all that. "...on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." That's the other thing too - I no longer live to die (physically). I live with eternal purpose for God's glory. 

Some of the best parts of my week happened when I got to spend 1:1 time with some sistas in Christ. Before meeting up with them I didn't want to rely on my own strength, my own counseling skills. I had to ask God to speak clearly to me through His Holy Spirit the whole time so I knew what to say in His timing. And after spending some time with each of them, I felt so thankful and full of joy that I got to live for His glory in these ways. Like in Isaiah 60:1-2: "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you." Each time, God used the Word he spoke to me that day to shine into their lives and bless them, even through their difficulties.  

"See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you." Whether I'm listening to somebody's personal struggles or watching the news, it's sobering to see that this world has got some serious issues. I can't just get caught up in doing my own thang and wasting time. There are so many needs, so much work to be done in God's Kingdom. Hanging out with these sistas made me realize how much more worth it it is to live OUT God's glory in this dark world than living for myself in the moment. 

Isaiah 60:19: "The Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory." So since we are no longer walking in darkness, and God is our light and our glory, let's LIVE IT OUT in other people's lives! Proactively. Then we don't have to feel defeated anymore, like this girl here:

Physically: Ran twice this week. Or should I say jog - I felt so heavy and slow! But listening to Lecrae on my runs def pumps me up.