Purity In Worship

I was thinking last night after we had our leadership meeting for DIO how corrupt our worship is at times. Don't get me wrong God takes us just as we are. We can come before him in our filthiness and we lay all our baggage and things that don't belong. In saying that we come before him with selfish motives and foolishness. I looked up the definiton of purity and one of the defitions is " Freedom from corrupting elements such as said of language and style". I'm not saying that we curse at God...well some of you might...,but we say things with selfish motives and not coming to him in reverance and with a mindset of worship. It says in Galations 5:4 (NIV) "Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or coarse joking which are out of place, but rather with thanksgiving". When we come before him in worship it should be with purity of heart, mind, and soul not bringing anything corrupt out of our mouths. It needs to be with humility, and mind of serving, and a freedom not holding anything back. Opening ourselves up to him so that we might carry HIM out to this corrupt world that needs him.

Are You Unbreakable!!!!

If anyone knows me or has read my blog you know that I listen to all styles of music in christian music. I have one song on my ipod by fireflight called unbreakable...and its a rock style song so some of you may not like it but if you can get passed the music itself and listen to the words its a great song. It's talking about God taking you where you have never been and to let you dream again. So many of us have been so broken and hurt that we stop dreaming of what God wants for us. You can't let anything stop you or get in your way. Fear isnt an option anymore we have to say ...fear you have to leave and I wont let you overtake me!!! We have to let God take control and stop trying to do it on our own. When we do that then we become UNBREAKABLE!! We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Keep your head up in the cloud of his glory and let him lead you and he will take you to places in him that you could not have imagined.

What's Holding You Back?

"You open your eyes and all you can see is light. Light that is so bright it's blinding and causes you to have to lower your head and cover your eyes. You open your eyes a little, but you still can't look right into the light. You find yourself standing and the light encompasses you as if it were shielding you. A warm feeling starts to fill you up from the top of your head down to the tips of your toes. It overwhelms you and it's nothing like you have ever felt before. You want to speak but there are no words to describe what you feel or see and everytime you try to speak the words will not come out. Peace starts to take the place of all the worry, fear, anxiety, and a host of other feelings that you had been feeling. You beging to have joy start to spring up out of your soul and you don't know how to contain it. The words still don't come out and you can't contain yourself anymore and you don't know how to express what you are feeling inside. There are no words spoken still just this overwhelming feeling that you do not know how to describe and you feel if you don't express it that you might burst. Then a still small voice inside you that seems to come from the light all around you speaks. The voice says ....What would you do if I said move? Would you move for me? Would you go where I say to go? Would you do what it is I have layed out for you? You feel as if you about to burst and you need to get it out and let someone know what it is your feeling." This is how I feel everytime I dance for him. I don't dance for anyone else nor to please anyone else. I have such joy and peace inside me everytime I take a step, move my arms, wave a flag, or turn for him. God wants every part of you and is asking what you are willing to do. You don't have to know how to do what it is he has for you to do. You just have to be willing to take that first step and he will guide you through. He may not have called you to dance like he has me, but he has called you to do something for him. What is it he has called you to do? Are you willing to take that step? What's holding you back? Your answer should be nothing is holding me back and yes Im willing.

Cast Aside Fear

I've been helping Tammy get things organized for our upcoming workshop in March for Dance It Out. It's made me stop and take a look at things from the perspective of someone who isn't involved in the dance ministry or something similar. When we host the workshops whether it be our annual one we do at our church or when we go out to other places and host one for them alot people think that these workshops are just for people who dance or are interested in dance. Our whole purpose for being in ministry is to lead others into the presence of GOD. This ministry is not about just dance, drama, flags & billows, its not about whether you're talented or gifted. It is not about what others perceive as worship...it is all about helping others to open themselves up to what GOD has for them and to free themselves to be able to worship GOD on a more intimate level. We are a group of people who when God said, "Who will I send?" we said "Send us". I used to be one of those people who sat in the congregation and during praise and worship and I would feel that there was something more than just raising my hands. I hungered for more of him and wasn't sure how to get it. I'm not saying the dance ministry is the answer for everyone but it was for me. That is where God placed me for this time in my life. I'm saying that he wants us to be open to him and not keep ourselves in such a tightly closed box that we don't spread our wings and just soar with him. It's about letting ourselves go and putting aside anything that would stand in the way of us worshiping him on an intimate level. Don't let fear hold you back from what God has for you. It doesn't matter what others may say or how they look at you it's about what God sees and what he wants from you. If he told you to run around the church would you do it? If he told you to jump up and down would you do it? If he told you to scream for him would you do it? Everyone is quick to say they would but when it comes down to it most people let fear of what others think hold them back. Your worship isn't determined by what others think or say. The only one who matters is God and what he says and thinks. He wants all of you and not just the parts you want to give because it feels comfortable. He takes us out of our comfort zone to stretch us so that he can use us. So cast aside the fear and let yourself open up to what he has for you and when you do you will never be able to hold back anymore. You will find yourself hungering for more of him and won't be satisfied with anything else.

Be Mindful What You Take In

My girls and I seem to have the same discussion and difference of opinion on the subject of what we watch as far as tv and movies and what we listen to in music. I have my own opinion and I'm trying to teach my girls that they need to be careful what they allow into their minds and spirits. I use to watch alot of horror movies, movies that didnt really have good content in it, listen to both secular and christian music when I was younger and up into my late 20's. I started to re-evaluate what it was that I was allowing into my mind and spirit. I have a very creative imagination (thats where my kids get it from) and I would have all kinds of horrible dreams and just odd thoughts that I wouldn't understand where they came from. Then one day I was praying and God just softly spoke to my spirit and said what is it your listening to? I was puzzled at first by what I thought he meant. It took me a few days of pondering on it to figure out that he was trying to show me that what I put into myself is what is going to come out of me. I dont want things that don't edify or glorify God to be put into my mind and spirit. I know alot of you are like my kids and say well it doesnt have any cuss words in it and it isnt saying anything bad and I like the song so I think its ok to listen to it. Yes that may be true but stop and think about what you listen to and the kinds of messages it speaks into your life. Music is something that everyone relates to and enjoys. So think about it, satan has corrupted music in such a way that even if the musicians don't write about anything bad so to speak, no cuss words, and its just a good song to listen to...wouldn't that be a good way to find a crack into your mind and spirit to try to fill you full of things that shouldnt be there? It's the same thing with what we watch on tv and in the movies. The horrible images that are in some of these movies isn't something we should want to have in our minds and spirits. I mean really do you want the mental image of a person killing someone in the most graphic and brutal ways you can think of, seeing sexual perversion of every kind, glorifying drugs and alcohol, making lying seem likes its a part of life and ok to do? I know I don't want those kinds of images inside of me. These are the things that God was showing me in my life that I needed to be aware of and to change what I was taking into my life. I'm just saying be mindful of what you take in because what you take in is what is going to be coming out of you.

Your Blessed

I thought I would right on my blog today since I have not written on it much lately. This has been a year of growing and stretching as well as God bringing old friends back into my life. Sometimes facing things from your past can be a little painful for some people, but it has been great experience for me so far. I have learned that I have some wonderful childhood friends that no matter what we went through are still my friends even though we lost touch for a time. I have also learned that I didn't always like the person I was back then and I am glad that I have learned to grow in God and let that person stay in the past. I am still growing and God isn't done with me yet. This has been a year of being pushed to the forefront of ministry which has not always been comfortable for me, but he is teaching me to not look so low on myself and to let him shine through me even when I may not feel I have ability or talent to do something. It's about being willing to lose yourself so that God can shine through for his purpose that he has laid out for you.

This has also been a year of taking a look at my personal life as far as dating goes. I have been single for many years and dated here and there, but it isn't what I want to date just to be dating. I have decided that I will wait on God and his timing and not rush into dating. I don't fear being single and I am really OK with it. I want to keep my focus on what it is God has for me to do and to raise my girls to the best of my ability. I have had my own bad experiences with dating in the past, but it was because I rushed things and wanted it now and that doesn't work. You have to get your focus where it needs to be which on keeping your eyes on God and taking care of your family. Once that is your focus God can bring someone into your life that will fit right in as if they had always been there.

I think alot of this reflection is because I'm getting ready to turn 42 tomorrow and there are days I still in my mind feel like I'm still in my twenties, but some days physically I don't lol. I hope that as I have gotten older that I have gained some wisdom on things so I don't make the same mistakes as when I was younger. Also so that I can teach my girls what not to do.

I guess in saying all this I'm trying to say be happy right where God has you and look around and see how he has blessed you. Be willing to go and do what God has for you to do. Don't get your eyes on the distractions that come your way keep your focus always on God.

As you can see I havent blogged in several months now. Its been busy for me until here lately so I had no time to write anything down. I dont really have much to say except that I have learned over the past several months that no one can take your joy from you unless you allow them too. We all have circumstances and things that happen to us that makes us want to get down or depressed, but if you stop and think for a moment we wouldnt allow anything to rob us of our joy and peace we have in christ. Ive been listening to all kinds of music lately and the one song that stands out to me is a Britt Nicole song "Ready". Its talk about its time to move on and not to let anything get us down. If you havent heard it you should listen to it. It may not be your style of music but the message is just what we need to hear.