This past week has been crazy. In fact if I look at this week with my human perspective, I might even say that it has been HELL.
It started with a car accident in my great grandma’s car while in Texas. Followed by a cap put on my tooth- PS I HATE THE DENTIST. My plan of selling my car was interrupted by having to fix it with lack of funding. My Passport was stolen previously and expires mid trip and I am having huge issues getting it renewed. I am not stating all of this to complain, just to give you a picture of what the reality of this week has presented. All of these things were inconveniences that at the time felt like it was the end of the world (TOO DRAMATIC?) but were only a mere conspiracy to keep my eyes from being focused on Jesus.
These mishaps although in the minds eye of those moments were terrible the honest reality was that my week wasn’t that bad, and that if we were really honest, could have been a lot worse. In that honest reality the fact lies that I allowed these simple procedures of the enemy to malign my focus and steal my peace. From the ashes of a week from “HELL” emerges a lesson on Focusing on Jesus, Resting in his peace and diverging the strategies of the enemy.
I am learning in this season to be present. That art includes being present with what God is speaking to me. I used to love going to our Tuesday meetings as a Family Life Team at Palm Valley Church and Pastor Darius would ask us “WHAT IS GOD SPEAKING TO YOU?” Sometimes I loved it because God was actively speaking something into my life & other times this act of accountability would irk me because I had let life side swipe me into neglecting my time with Him. Focusing on Jesus is not just having that daily time with Him (I highly encourage it) but allowing him to be the center of every aspect of your life. Through the “HELL” of this week I should of been allowing Him to be the focus instead of events that seemed tragic to my life.
Resting has never been easy for me, but specifically resting in His peace. Oh goodness! I have realized it’s hard for me to receive, let alone receive from Him. I realized this week through this “HELL” that I had a lot of pride. It’s hard for me to ask for help. I will find any way possible to move things around and put all my strength to make it happen. I can’t make HIS peace. I have to depend on Him for peace. It’s not rocket science but it took me this huge object lesson for me to have that “HERE’S YOUR SIGN” moment.
1 Peter 5:8 (The message)
“Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.”
The enemy is working on strategies to keep us from focusing on God and His kingdom. This week was a reminder that He is active especially as we become more focus on allowing God to move in and through our lives. As we align our lives with Jesus we become a threat to those lives that hang in the balance. Those people that God wants to reach through our focused on Jesus lives.
“Do not expect peace when you declare war.”
So would you pray with me?
I am expecting that God is going to use my life and my squads lives to reach people with the love of Jesus. Therefore, we are declaring war for the lives of people. We are entering places that are filled with oppression and are spiritually dark.
Would you pray for the leaders that lead our squad and the leaders that lead our team within that squad. Pray that God would fill them with His supernatural strength and give them His wisdom in this season.
Would you pray for the people we are going to encounter during our World Race Journey- that God would began to prepare their hearts and that we would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and His leadings.
Ephesians 6:10-18
What do you need prayer for?
What things are keeping you from really focusing on Jesus?
How can Jesus bring you HIS peace in this season?
<3
Ash
#TeamAsh
P.S. T MINUS 15 days until our squad leaves for Bolivia! Come give me a hug at my BON VOYAGE PARTY! Saturday June 21st from 6:30-10:00 P.M.
