Category Archives: Faith

How He Loves Us

I woke this morning with this song in my head – “How He Loves”. The chorus repeating over and over…”Oh how He loves us, oh how He loves us, oh how He loves us, oh how He loves.”

I am a hot mess most days.

We all have our stressors don’t we? Parenting that feels like it is going to throw us over the edge, stress at work, struggles in marriages and friendships. There isn’t a day that goes by that I think that I did things perfectly and for a Type A perfectionist like myself, this can be a tough pill to swallow!

I want to be an on fire woman for God. I want to raise my children without any serious issues that cause them to need therapy later in life. I want to offer unconditional love towards my husband.

But most days I am short-tempered, irritated with the littlest things, discontent and jealous of those that seem to have it easier than me.

Nice huh?!

But in comes grace. A gift I thank God for daily. A gift freely given to me, something that I don’t always comprehend, but something that is a balm to my weary and broken soul.

God never expected that we would get it right, that is exactly the reason He sent His Son for us.

Yesterday I participated in a fast. The last 6 hours or so were the worst. At this point I was “fruited” out and I would have given just about anything for a dry cracker. I craved grains, it was weird! 🙂 And then there was that time that my oldest son taunted me by eating a caramel filled cookie right in front of me with about 3 hours to go. Ahh yes the love…

I discovered in a real way how much I want what I want, when I want it.

Patience and surrender are apparently not virtues of mine. But in the end I made it. I went a full 24 hours and didn’t cheat…only by God’s grace really because I wanted to and even thought at one point, who would even know really?!

But you know what I DO know? Even if I had “cheated” or been unable to finish the fast, God loves me anyways. It isn’t about me at all really. I don’t have to do anything to earn God’s favor. He loves me, in spite of me. THAT is the takeaway reminder for me again.

I am going to mess up, I am going to be short tempered and insensitive. I will let my husband, my friends down…it is inevitable. I am not perfect – but God doesn’t need me to be. (<====Click to Tweet)

But God with His unconditional love, reminds me every day that He loves us, oh how He loves us. Thank you God for loving me.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FxaUYjRtkc[/youtube]

I am joining the amazing Holley Gerth in her #2014EncouragementChallenge. Where writers come together each Wednesday to offer hope and encouragement to one another. We would love to have you come and join in!

Photo Credit: LifeHouseDesign

A Call to Fast

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On Sunday our pastor preached about “Knowing our Enemy”. Whether we like to admit it or not, the reality of this world is that we live in constant attack of the enemy. He seeks to rob us of joy, to ruin our marriages and friendships…to steal all of the blessings that God has given us.

Friends THIS is a battle.

Ephesians 6:12: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Our pastor told us that Lucifer’s name means light. He was originally described as the most beautiful angel and was created by God to bring light into the world. But he got selfish and prideful. He wanted to live independent of God not dependent on God.

Thus the fall. Lucifer and other angels that followed him were cast down to earth to rein here. Satan is our adversary, opponent. He is powerful and wise, crafty and cunning.

He masquerades as the truth with just enough falsehood to get us to doubt. When I heard my pastor say that on Sunday it just hit home.

That is exactly what I have experienced and what I have seen my dearest friends experience recently.

10 of us came home from Houston and one by one have been under attack. There was some pretty powerful work for the Kingdom being done in Houston, so it shouldn’t surprise us that the attacks came.

But they did, and for many of us, they caught us off guard.

What I love more than anything about our website team is that while it may be easier to cave in and walk away defeated, we are standing with Christ, arming ourselves with Him, for battle.

Delonna posted this morning that she felt called to a fast. She invited us to all participate, to encourage one another, and to use this time to pray over one another.

I will be honest, I haven’t ever done a fast. I really like food, and chocolate, and snacking…all things that don’t really fit with a fast.

But I believe that when people of God unite for His glory, in His name, in His power and authority…well Satan better just run and hide. ahem and Amen!

Some of us will be starting at sundown tonight and others tomorrow morning….but we will be fasting and praying together. And let me clarify…we are doing the Daniel Fast so we can have fruits and vegetables but no meats, dairy, processed foods or chocolate. 🙂

Delonna sent us a copy of the printable above to have and reference during this time. Our prayer for one another will be to ask God to break any strongholds we have, prayers for protection over our families, our children and our marriages.

Through the power of prayer and this fast we have hope for the mighty things that God will accomplish through us.

1 John 4:4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

It isn’t about us and what we can do.

As my pastor said “The only way I stand is when I stand IN Him.”

So we stand, confident in the Christ that is in us, the One who gives us strength. The One who can break any stronghold. God will be fighting for us in the next 24 hours, we are standing willing and ready, armored in His Truth.

If anyone would like to join us over the next 24 hours, we would love to pray with you as well. And I’d love to hear if you have ever done a fast…what did God teach you through it all?!

Holy Ground

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I could feel it even as we were flying. We were entering a space of Holy Ground. Not because of the “where” of our meeting, but rather because of the God that brought us all there.

Each one of us faced a difficulty the week leading up to this trip. From struggles in marriage, the sudden loss of a friend, to health issues and disappointments at work…we all felt that the enemy was attacking us.

Personally, I forgot my boarding pass and my headache meds. I even stood at the completely wrong gate almost missing my second flight. All of this after probably one of the most stressful and difficult days I have ever had on the office on Thursday.

I had left home with such a heaviness in my spirit.

We each had similar experiences. Traveling from different areas of the country, and in spite of all the roadblocks, we came. We prayed over flights, we struggled with the fear of meeting friends in real life for the first time.

But we came because God orchestrated it.

He had called each of us.

We were gathering for soul feeding and in my bones I knew that He was meeting us there.

On my way out of town on Thursday I was leaving a vox for Mel, telling her about my awful day…and then I saw it.

A rainbow.

A rainbow where it shouldn’t be one. There were no rain clouds, I don’t know why it was there but it took my breath away.

I stopped what I was complaining about and told Mel that was a sign.

God’s promise for all of us.

I knew we would all be ok. No matter what the enemy tried to throw at us. God had called us together and He would meet us there in Houston.

We each have the opportunity to commune with God. (<====Click to Tweet)

He will meet us where we are. We just need to have willing hearts to seek Him.

The promise isn’t just for us here in Houston, it is for everyone. No matter what your day or week might have looked like, no matter what darts the enemy has tried to throw at you.

Have hope!

Remember the beauty of a rainbow and God’s promise to be there for us. Enter a place of Holy Ground with Him.

He has a call on each if our lives. You friend, have been called. Don’t ever doubt it!

We are celebrating His goodness and faithfulness right along with you, as we praise His name in this Holy space in Houston.

Photo Credit: rwangsa

Why Our Individual Stories Matter

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The word “blog” was something I hadn’t even heard of until early 2008. My husband and I had tickets to attend a Selah/Point of Grace concert and we heard that the lead singer of Selah wasn’t going to be able to attend. His wife was carrying a baby that was “incompatible with life” and she was due to deliver the same week as the concert.

The radio station gave the name of Angie Smith’s blog, and asked us to pray.

I wasn’t even sure what I would find on this blog, but I wanted to read more about this family. So that night, while using my incredibly slow dial up internet service, I logged on and found myself engrossed in a story I hadn’t expected.

Here was a woman, who had made a choice to carry a baby they were being told wouldn’t survive, and she was praising God in the middle of it.

I was heartbroken for her and yet inspired by her faith. My own prayer life changed as I found myself praying for Angie and her family. I watched as a community of strangers left comments and encouragement, offered up prayers and showered them with love.

Until that time I didn’t know that community could be formed online.

And then in February of that same year my husband and I had a miscarriage. I was really struggling with the loss, even though it was early in the pregnancy, and I needed a way to process everything.

I had journaled as a teenager and thought that maybe this blog thing might help me. And so my first family blog was born.

I had 4 readers, literally 4. My parents and my grandparents. 🙂

Initially, I was writing for me….finding a way to work out my faith in this grief process I was going through.

The writing was healing for me and while I didn’t have an audience of 10,000….I was so encouraged by the community that I had seen form online that I kept going.

Then somehow I stumbled onto a few more blogs and “met” other women who were dealing with pregnancy loss and infertility struggles. I was not alone. And while none of us had the same story, I recognized that each individual story mattered. (<=== Click to Tweet)

I am sharing the rest of the story over at Laura Rath’s blog today – will you join me over there?!

Original Photo Credit: Walt Stoneburner modified by Kristin Smith

A Promise Fulfilled – He Is Risen!

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Celebrating today the promises fulfilled, an empty tomb, a grave overcome, and an amazing sacrifice that was given for all of us. Thank you God for making a way for all of us to spend eternity with you!

Happy Resurrection Day friends!

Original Photo Credit: Sean MacEntee

Scripture added by Kristin Smith

Where Two or More are Gathered…..

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Matthew 18:20 “20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Right now Isaac, our oldest, is over at the High School taking his ACT test. I was up early to make him some breakfast and when the younger kids came down stairs I told them that we needed to remember Isaac and be praying for him because he had a big test today.

Isaac (for right now) says he is interested in Pharmacy. He thinks that he will attend SDSU and they have a program there that allows for early entry into the pre-pharm program as a freshman if you get a 27 or higher on the ACT. You are also eligible for more scholarships if that happens….needless to say he has a pretty high expectation of what he wants as a minimum score on the test today.

I remember taking my ACT test and not getting the score I had hoped for….it wasn’t terrible, but I was sure I was smarter than the test said I was. 😉 So as a mom now I have anxiety over this for him too!

I put out a call for prayer to some of those most amazing prayer warriors I know. It is good to have a circle of friends that will lift up even the smallest prayer requests!

Then as I was cleaning up the kitchen after breakfast Elijah (almost 5) came up to me and said that we should pray for Isaac!

So we sat down in the middle of the kitchen together and held hands.

I said “Did you know that the Bible says that where 2 or more are gathered together in God’s name, that God is there with them?”

“God is here right now Elijah, with us, hearing our prayers for Isaac!”

His eyes got big and he smiled….and then we prayed a prayer over his big brother.

It was 8:03am….right as Isaac was getting ready to start his younger brother was praying over him. I can’t tell you how much I love that!

I don’t know how he will do…or if he will get the score he wants.

I do know that our kids hear us. It is important to talk about God and prayer even in the most general of conversations. And when our kids come to us and want to engage us in prayer…stop everything and do it!

My heart is full this morning.

Regardless of how it turns out – Isaac left knowing that there were women across the country praying for him, that his siblings were praying for him…. and THAT is better than any positive test result.

Thank you for praying for my children – for covering them with blessings. I am so grateful to have a community here that loves me and my family so well!!

Photo Credit: fromcolettewithlove

Seeking to be the Light

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Sometimes the darkness in this world can be overwhelming.

I don’t even watch the news much anymore because I rarely find anything encouraging. Maybe that is hiding my head in the sand a bit…or maybe it is protecting my heart.

I easily gravitate towards the negative.

It isn’t something that I like about myself, but it is a part of who I am.

I have to fight it. To not get caught up in the “drama” and go down that dark path.

Recently I, and many of my dreamer sisters, were told “no” to an opportunity that seemed like such an amazing God-sized dream.

I will be honest with you and tell you that I really thought this time might be “it”. My spirit was crushed a little when the “no” came….the lies that I wasn’t good enough started creeping in again.

And I felt without words.

Have you ever been there? Chasing after what you thought was your God-sized dream only to discover it wasn’t in the cards for you. At least not now, not this time.

So I had to ask myself if this one thing was going to define me?

As writers, dreamers, want-to-be-speakers….we are bound to hear “no” from time to time. In fact we may actually hear “no” more than we hear “yes”!

But that doesn’t mean that our words aren’t important!

In fact it is the very reason that we must keep moving forward, keep offering hope to others!

As followers of Christ we are called to be a Light here.

Matthew 5: 14-16: 14 And you, beloved, are the light of the world. A city built on a hilltop cannot be hidden. 15 Similarly it would be silly to light a lamp and then hide it under a bowl. When someone lights a lamp, she puts it on a table or a desk or a chair, and the light illumines the entire house. 16 You are like that illuminating light. Let your light shine everywhere you go, that you may illumine creation, so men and women everywhere may see your good actions, may see creation at its fullest, may see your devotion to Me, and may turn and praise your Father in heaven because of it.

I love these verses in Matthew. Such a reminder that I need to be letting my light shine everywhere I go.

Why?

So that men and women everywhere may see creation at its fullest, may see my devotion to God and turn and praise God because of it.

We are called to be a light, ultimately, so that God can receive praise and glory!

This world isn’t about me (I know big shocker right?!) 😉

I am here to be a light in the darkness. (<==== Click to Tweet)

I can use this space for my glory…or for His.

I hope that I am always choosing the latter. That the words that spill on to these pages are ones of hope and encouragement and ultimately point you to Jesus.

So while the “no” stings, it doesn’t need to define me. My life has been a series of “no’s” that have eventually opened doors to some amazing “yes” opportunities!

I am called to be a light here, in all seasons. The good and the difficult because none of this life would be possible without Him.

I can’t ever forget that!

It is always an honor to link up with my fellow God-sized Dreamers. Want to join in on the fun? Jump over here to read more!

Photo Credit: Identity Photogr@phy

A “Fishes and Loaves” Experience

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I am a woman who can talk a good talk, have all the right “Christian” things to say, but honestly when it comes to putting my words, my faith, into practice for myself, I struggle.

I suppose we all can be like that in some way, shape or form can’t we?

Even the disciples, the very men who walked WITH Jesus in the flesh, doubted.

During difficult times I have questioned God. Cried out to Him, blamed Him, begged Him for mercy and understanding at my plight.

But the answers don’t always come as I had expected…..

I have shared about our period of unemployment here before…it was just 2 short years ago and at the time I believed that God had deserted us. I mean weren’t we “doing all the right things”, and still here we found ourselves in the middle of a huge storm?!

A mortgage, car loans and student loan debt seemed a mountain we wouldn’t ever be able to climb….especially when we were both unemployed!

But my husband had a much stronger faith than I did….he was my rock. He believed God could do big things and so he stepped out in faith and started his own business.

He knew the dream was a big one, impossible maybe, but he stepped out in faith and started to do the work.

Dream chasing isn’t always glamorous (<==== Click to Tweet) ….have you found that to be true in your journey too?

It can take long hours and tough choices, hard work and determination….and sometimes we feel so inadequate the only thing we can do is pray.

Lord, take our time, our work, our hearts to serve you and multiply it….

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In Holley’s devotional she encourages us to read the story from Matthew 14: 13-21 about the fishes and the loaves, so we can see how God can multiply the impossible for us.

This again is a very familiar story but (and oh how I am loving this) God opened my eyes to see this in a fresh way this week.

v. 13 “When Jesus learned what had happened, He got on a boat and went away to spend some time in a private place.”

This first verse got me curious….what had Jesus just learned that He wanted to be in private?

So I backed up to V. 1 and see that the “backstory” to this is that John the Baptist has been captured and Herod’s stepdaughter has been granted “anything she wanted” for her birthday…and for some reason, what she wanted, was John’s head on a platter.

This prophet, a great man of God, a friend to Jesus…the one that baptized Jesus, has been beheaded and Jesus has just heard the news.

And He desires to be in private, but the crowds follow Him. And Jesus has compassion on them.

v. 14 “Though Jesus wanted solitude, when He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, and He healed the sick and the lame.”

The day goes on and the disciples come to Jesus basically asking Him to send the crowd away for dinner….but Jesus has a different idea.

V. 16 “They don’t need to go back to the villages in order to eat supper. Give them something to eat here.”

The disciples know they don’t have enough, only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.

Clearly not enough. Clearly.

And even though the disciples had just witnessed a full day of healing and miracles, they doubted?

Does that strike you like it does me?

So the disciples brought Jesus what they had….knowing it was lacking, it wasn’t enough.

And Jesus does the impossible, and we read that 5000 men (not including the women and children) were fed with 12 baskets left over.

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So often we come to Jesus completely lacking.

We have these dreams on our hearts, but the reality of success seems impossible. Our offering seems so small, what could God possibly do with us?

Yet I have seen, time and time again, where God has taken the little that we do have and multiply it in ways that cause us to just shake our heads in awe.

We are walking in a time like that, complete amazement at what God is doing with the business, this crazy, impossible dream, just shaking our heads in wonder of all that He has done.

There are days it overwhelms and the work seems daunting.

My prayer each morning is that God gives us just what we need for that day, enough stamina, strength, energy etc., to do our jobs well and to always have hearts of thanksgiving.

In all of your “I cant’s” this week remember that God CAN. He is enough.

And don’t be afraid to pray wild “fishes and loaves” prayers…..and if you do get ready to see God do some amazing things in your life!

Each Tuesday I join my God-sized Dream sisters and talk about all things dream chasing…join us won’t you?!

Photo Credit: hoyasmeg

The Proper Armor

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Last week I shared some of the story of David and Goliath. David’s faith in God is so encouraging to me. He willingly went into battle to face a giant because he knew it wasn’t his battle to face.

When David first approached Saul to volunteer, Saul insisted that David wear his battle armor.

1 Samuel 17: 38 “Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, 39 and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off.”

David knew that he didn’t have the proper armor.

Can you imagine entering into battle without the proper armor?!

But God gave David JUST what he needed.

As a shepherd, David often used a slingshot to ward off animals seeking to hurt his sheep. I imagine that he was quite proficient with that slingshot…a weapon he practiced with often.

He may not have been able to wield a sword like the top warriors, but he didn’t need the best fitting armor or the sharpest sword. David had the perfect weapon and God had given him plenty of opportunities to prepare to use it.

40 “Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.”

God has been preparing me as well.

Preparing me to chase my dreams, preparing me to stand in the battles that will come at me.

It seems that the more I chase my God-sized dreams, I find myself in the front lines of battle with the enemy. A friend once told me that the enemy attacks those that he considers a threat…so consider an attack a compliment that you are doing God’s work! 🙂

The attacks can come in many forms.

Discouragement that I won’t be good enough….

Lies telling me that because I am failure so often, with my husband…my kids…how can I possibly share about my relationship with God here?

But God has surrounded me with His Truth.

He has shown me that my best “voice” is one that is proclaiming the truth that I AM a hypocrite – every day! But because of God’s AMAZING grace…I have the opportunity to share about His redeeming love.

As I chase these dreams, big and scary dreams…..dreams that feel out of reach and impossible, I am reminded that just like David, God is equipping me.

We are in training, can you see that?!

Maybe our “weapon” will be the stories that bring light to a dark world. (<==== Click to Tweet)

If we have God’s word on our heart, in our minds…if we have His plans in our focus…..we have the right armor on and we have nothing to fear!

In Holley’s Devotional she says this: “People may not understand. What you have in your hands or heart may seem small or even strange to them. But that’s exactly what creates the opportunity for God to do the unexpected. It sets the scene for giants to fall. For battles to be won. For God-sized dreams to come scandalously, miraculously true.”

Are you allowing God to do the unexpected in your life? If not – what is holding you back? Please leave a comment and allow me the honor of praying over those things with you…..we are in this battle together friends!

I am sharing stories of chasing dreams with my sisters over at God-sized Dreams…join us?!

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Facing the Giants

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There have been times that I have thought I was like David facing the giant Goliath.

When Dominic and I went through our period of unemployment and faced the reality of losing our home and our security, I believed that we were being confronted with a situation I was ill-equipped to handle.

And you know what? I was right in some ways.

We were ill-equipped to handle it all. Emotionally, spiritually, financially….we faced a giant of a problem and we needed help.

This week we are exploring what to do when we don’t feel worthy of following our dreams. Holley encouraged us to look at the story of David and Goliath.

I love when I have those times that I see a Bible story with fresh eyes…like God gives me some deeper insight into a story I have heard time and again, but never fully understood….tonight was one of those times.

If you want to follow along join me in 1 Samuel 17….I am not going to post the entire chapter here but want to share some of the points that stuck out to me this time.

Goliath is the “star” enemy in this story. He is huge and strong and all of Saul’s army is afraid of him and Goliath knows it. In fact he taunts them for 40 days straight!

“Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” 10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.”

Enter David to the story. The youngest of 8 sons and not a soldier, but a shepherd. Talk about ill-equipped! Jesse, David’s father, sends David to the battle lines to check on his brothers. When he arrives he witnesses Goliath’s rant.

Now if this were me….I am thinking I would have turned and run the other way.

In fact during that time of unemployment, I did run. I ran from God. I was angry and scared and full of unbelief. I was sure that the “giant” was going to do us in and I wanted to be as far from the situation as possible.

But as you will see, David had a different response….

“But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

David isn’t being pretentious here…he knows his strength. Just based on his size, he doesn’t stand a chance.

But David understands a truth that I was unable to see at my darkest hour….that God DID have the strength. “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

David had faith that God would do again what He had done before. Deliver Him.

Does that give you chills like it does me?!

If I think back to some of the worst times in my life, there was always a deliverance and God was always at the center. I maybe wasn’t a willing participant – but God WAS there.

David knew that God had been faithful to him in the past and he trusted God would do the same against this giant.

So armed with a staff, 5 smooth stones and his sling shot David “ran quickly toward the battle line.” Can you imagine running quickly towards a giant that no other man has been willing/able to face?!

“Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel,whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.”

For the battle is the Lord’s. It isn’t our battle…it is God’s!

“49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.”

And just like that the giant is defeated.

It was never David’s battle and he knew it! It was God’s and David trusted God to handle His battle.

How many times do I find myself facing something that isn’t my battle to fight? But I am stubborn and have little faith and so I take matters into my own hands only to see it fail.

There is such a lesson to be learned here from David. It is a lesson of faith and not of fear!

Sure we need to take some steps in our own walks and being willing to “do” when God calls us. But we should start every step with a prayer of faith and trust in the God that can use a small shepherd to slay a mighty giant.

If you find yourself facing a giant today, get on your knees and start praying. Ask God to deliver you, to fight the battle that is His. Face the giants in the name of the Lord of hosts…your strength, your deliverer. In whom shall we fear?!

Linking up today with my God-sized dream sisters today….find more encouragement over here! Won’t you join us?

Photo Credit: Lauren J