I usually have a mindset that says, your Right or Wrong or your Good or Bad.  This is how I have viewed myself my entire life.  I even read a verse that goes along with my thinking in Romans 7:12, the law itself is holy, and it’s commands are holy and right and good.  You see I have the Old Testament and it’s commandments on my side in this way of thinking that I’m either Right or Wrong or Good or Bad.  But as I continued to read in Romans, God gave me a new perspective on this black or white thinking.

Romans 7:18 & 19 say, I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature (my flesh).  I want to do what is right, but I can’t.  I want to do what is good, but I don’t.  I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.

After reading those verses I started feeling bad because of my flesh and my sinful nature, but I continued reading Romans 8:1-4.  It tells me that there is NO condemnation in those that belong to Christ!  Thank God because I was really getting stuck in this Good or Bad thinking of myself.  Then it said the Law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature.  So God did what the law could not do.  He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have.  And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his son as a sacrifice for our sins.  He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

Can I get an Amen for Jesus?  So after reading that scripture I realized I am free to stop viewing myself as Good or Bad or Right or Wrong because Jesus stepped in and took that away for all of us!  I no longer have to view myself as Good or Bad because my salvation has nothing to do with what I can or cannot do.  I will never be perfect in this life time and that is why God sent Jesus to stand in the gap for all of my imperfections!

So tell me, how do you view yourself? Good or Bad or Right or Wrong or Neither….Simply Free!

Honored to serve in Charlotte, North Carolina – Women’s Christian Life Coach

Several weeks ago I went for a run with my dogs.  It was a beautiful day and I was feeling strong and empowered running with my worship music on.  I was less than a tenth of a mile from my front door and BAM! I landed on my hands and knees.  First, I looked around to see if anyone saw me fall.  Next, I looked to see if my dogs were going to run off and leave me lying on the road.  Finally, I yelled, “God you’ve gotta be kidding me!”

It was a pretty bad fall.  I ended up going to the doctor 4 days later because I was in so much pain.  What’s interesting to me is the process of how I responded to my fall.  First, I looked around to see if anyone was watching because I was so embarrassed of my clumsiness.  Honestly the reason I was embarrassed is because moments before I was feeling strong like I could conquer the world.  I mean I was listening to praise music so it wasn’t all about me.  I had God somewhat involved….Right???  Next, I looked to see if my running buddies were going to stay true to me and remain by my side, because in the end its all about your friends being loyal….Right???  Finally, I yelled at God.  Why would he let me fall so hard when I was doing something healthy for Me?  I mean God says we are to be healthy and take care of our bodies, but for whom?  Me, Right???

The answer to all my questions are WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!  The scripture God brought to me today is Romans 12:1 “to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.”

After my encounter with the pavement that day, God spoke to me and said, “Run with strength.  Walk with confidence.  Fall with humility.  Reach with trust.  But make sure you are running, walking, falling, and reaching for only ME.”

So my question to you today is, who are you living life for when trying to take care of yourself?  Is it for God, you or someone else?

Who else has held the oceans in his hands?  Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers?  Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?  Isaiah 40:12

I’m a visual learner most of the time, so when I cannot see something clearly I have a difficult time understanding and believing the truth.  All these years I’ve heard the words, “Our God is a great big God.” and then the next thought would enter my mind, if he is so big I gotta have faith, right?  But the truth of the matter is sometimes I would agree and believe that statement, but most of the time I really didn’t feel that truth deep in my soul.  And when I don’t have that deep sense of conviction in my spirit my faith is pretty shaky.

I am currently reading Sun Stand Still by Pastor Steven Furtick and this morning on page 99 I had a revelation, an “aha” moment, the light bulb finally came on in my visual mind!  Pastor Furtick wrote, “Our God spoke the universe into existence, then he stooped down and measured it with his hand (Isaiah 40:12).”  And finally, I saw a new perspective of God!  I pictured God so incredible enormous, standing over our entire universe holding our earth in the palm of his hand.  It has taken me 37 years to see God from this perspective.  I finally realized I’m just a spec on this earth and God can handle ANYTHING!  We are in his hands and I choose to believe He is BIG enough to handle any obstacle, fear or failure I face in my life. So I have to ask you, how BIG is God to you?

I was recently at a dentist appointment when the hygienist said to me, “I would not want the responsibility of being a living walking miracle.”  Of course her hands were in my mouth so I couldn’t respond at that moment, so I just took a deep sigh and rolled my eyes.  I thought to myself, you’re right it is a big responsibility.  It just so happened to be day #1 of the 12 days Code Orange Revival at my church, Elevation.  Over the past 12 days God spoke to me in such a powerful way that I will never be same person I was before the revival.

I had been living my life with a cloud of condemnation over my head since God performed that miracle in the hospital.  There were so many times I would share my story of God’s divine intervention on my life and all the while in the back of my mind I would say, “Who am I to be a walking testimony of God’s miracles?”  I really never felt worthy of His grace and mercy on my life, until experiencing the 12 days of revival, earnestly seeking His presence.  In Matthew 6 : 7 & 8 it says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door will be opened.”  Honestly, after being miraculously healed I had not sacrificed enough time seeking God so that he could speak loud and clear to my heart.  Now that I have learned what it means to truly seek God’s presence I have found the greatest gift imaginable, FREEDOM.  I no longer have a cloud of condemnation, but a beautiful open free mind to receive his blessings in my life.  My spirit and mind are free to move even closer in my relationship with Christ.

Another truth in all this is every single person on earth is a living walking miracle.  Every day that we live is a miracle!  So I ask you today, what do you do with God’s miracles?

The FROG blog was created from several inspirations in my life.  I started journaling over eleven years ago when I started on my quest to really know the Lord and to discover my true authentic self.  When journaling, I feel the closest to the Lord and that is when He speaks clearly to my heart.  I found my mother-in-law’s journal after she passed away from cancer almost five years ago.  Seeing her words on paper in her own handwriting is the greatest gift she could have ever given me.  When I was diagnosed with cancer, not only did I journal personally, but I shared my journal publicly with family and friends.  This created a communication and bond that provided love and understanding for us to travel together on an amazing spiritual life changing journey.

In the early morning I seek God in reading his word, the bible.  He gives me scriptures for the day that direct my steps in the way I am to live.  I start by writing a scripture in my journal that He has laid on my heart and then I journal to him.  Next, I write what I feel He is speaking to my spirit and search His word again to find a verse that states what He spoke to me.  I refer to these scriptures throughout the day to stay focused on His will for my life.

I am taking a leap of faith to share with you how I FROG (Fully Rely On God) each day!  I dedicate my Frog Blog to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I pray the Lord will open my mind and spirit each time I write this blog.  Use my words to glorify only You Lord.  My life is not about me, but only about living in You so your light and love will shine on others to give them hope.  I come to you with a humble and open heart to be your hands and feet in a broken world.

In Jesus Name,

Linda — Peace FROG