“At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: ‘O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things for those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!
My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly know the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’
Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’”
Matthew 11:25-28
Did you know Adventures in Missions requires physical fitness tests to be able to go on the World Race? One of the requirements is that we have to hike 3 miles under 50 minutes with our full packs on, doesn’t sound hard? Well you are in better shape than I am my friend. I did my first timed hike tonight with what will be my day pack loaded with books, my essential oils case, a thing of sheets, wallet, water bottle and extra goodies to make it nice and heavy. Every hike I will be continuing to add weight and work up to my big pack. Baby steps.
I am going to be completely honest and say I didn’t think I would make it. At this point in my life, I am the heaviest and most out of shape I have ever been and PRAISE BE TO JESUS I made my time with almost twenty minutes to spare! Literally all Jesus. While on my hike, with my two dogs who definitely motivated me, I was listening to worship music and just praying and listening to Jesus. Over the last few years, I have been struggling with different health issues that no one seems to be able to figure out. I have gone to numerous doctors, specialists and even got a MRI and CATSCAN to see if they could find anything, they found nothing and couldn’t diagnose me. I left hearing, “Well Miss Winnick, we know something is wrong but can’t seem to figure out what it is. You may just have to prepare yourself to live the rest of your life like this. It may get worse, it may not. We do not know.” I would leave feeling dejected, hopeless and questioning everything. I just wanted to know what was wrong with me, and the biggest question on my mind is this M.S.? Am I already showing symptoms of M.S. like my mom? No one knew. I would go to God and beg Him to reveal to me what is going on and declaring His victory and blood over my life. But ultimately I was feeling hopeless and abandoned. I lost faith in myself. How can I declare God’s victory over myself when I don’t believe in the one He is giving it to? How can I not have faith in myself when it is Him who is sustaining and propelling me forward?
While on my walk today, the song Abba (Arms of a Father) by Jonathan David Helser
You’re more real than the ground I’m standing on,
you’re more real than the wind in my lungs,
your thoughts define me,
you’re inside me.
You’re my reality.
ABBA I belong to You. ABBA I belong to You.
You’re closer than the skin on my bones,
closer than the song on my tongue,
your thoughts define me,
you’re inside me,
you’re my reality.
ABBA I belong to You. ABBA I belong to You.
You came running down my prodigal road.
You came running with a ring and a robe.
Grace is the collision on the way back home, with the arms of a father who won’t let go.
I heard God say Daughter, I love you. You are defined by me. Come to me, I will give you rest. It is I who is healing you with every step you take. You are mine.
I have been living a life scared. Scared that I would fail if I tried to lose weight and it didn’t work. Scared that I wouldn’t be able to figure out what is wrong with me. Scared that I might get M.S. Scared of trying. Scared of so many things. But with each step of this hike I felt the chains fall off. I refuse to believe the enemy and what he has been telling me. I refuse to not believe in myself, because if my Heavenly Father believes in me, how could I not believe in myself?! I have let myself be defined by lies of the devil, others around me mixed in with Gods truth and that just doesn’t work. It’s all Jesus or nothing!
So watch out world! For the 12 days in preparation for TRAINING CAMP, I will be exercising and declaring my health, body, mind and soul to Jesus. Every day I will be exercising and Praising the Lord in every step. And I believe my health, mind and body are going to heal in every way IN JESUS NAME. I don’t have to beg God for anything, I just had to be ready to receive what He has be waiting to give me. He already has victory over my life, health, mind and soul.
Are you having health issues and need prayer? Please somehow reach out so we can come together and DECLARE God’s goodness and glory. This earthly body is only temporary but man does it make a difference how we feel. God doesn’t want us to be in pain and agony. He wants us to live abundantly so that we may bless others and share the light, truth and love of Jesus Christ to all we meet. How can we do that if we are not at the top of our game? This hike was a mind changing game shift today.
I love how God can alter our whole thinking in just minutes, I can Him smiling up in Heaven right now saying you don’t know how long I have been waiting to help you. Ahh man God is just so good.
IN JESUS NAME WE DECLARE AMEN!
