by Alisha | Oct 7, 2013 | Uncategorized
God loves you and He wants to pour out His goodness in every area of your life!
In fact, He wants your life to be blessed and satisfying and filled with His abundance. Did you realize this? Did you know that He wants to bless you in every area of your life? It’s true – He does!
There are times in life when you may struggle through tests and trials or discouragement. You may even begin to think, “My life is never going to be what I used to dream about. I might as well forget my dream and settle for reality.”
But that’s not what the Bible teaches us. God not only cares about your dreams and desires, He wants to fulfill them as well!
Read the following scriptures:
Psalm 20:4 (AMP) May He grant you according to your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans…
Psalm 37:4 (NIV) Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Proverbs 10:24 (KJV) …the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
Proverbs 13:12, 19 (NLT) Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there is life and joy…It is pleasant to see dreams come true.
And in John 10:10, the Lord Jesus Himself said, …I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed. (MSG)
Jesus came to give you a life that is better than you ever dreamed!
I don’t know about you, but I can dream some pretty amazing dreams!!! But as awesome as I think my dreams may be, the Lord wants to do even better!
The word better is defined as, “of superior quality or excellence, larger, greater, to a greater degree, more, to improve upon, surpass, exceed, that which has greater excellence or is preferable or wiser.”
Ephesians 3:20 (AMP) says, Now to Him Who…is able to do superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think, infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams.
Not only does God want to give you a better life than you ever dreamed, He also wants to go “far over and above” your desires and dreams. Why? Because He loves you! He delights in every detail of your life (Ps. 37:23 NLT).
If you will continue trusting His Word, the Lord will see to it that all your godly dreams and desires are fulfilled. He will bring them to pass in your life.
What is the dream that you have in your heart? What kind of life do you dream of? Don’t give up on it! Don’t cast it off! The Lord wants to fulfill your heart’s desire – He wants to give you a better life than you ever dreamed!
Click here to read more scriptures concerning living your dreams and fulfilling your God-given purpose.
Subscribe to Flourish so you don’t miss another post!
by Alisha | Aug 25, 2013 | Uncategorized
I want to encourage you today that no matter what you’re going through, you are not alone. You don’t have to worry and fret trying to figure out what you’re going to do, how you’re going to take care of yourself, provide for yourself, or protect yourself.
Why? Because you are not an orphan. You are not hopeless and you are not helpless. You have not been abandoned.
In John 14:18 (KJV), Jesus said He would not leave us “comfortless.” That word in the Greek is orphanos, which is where we get the word “orphan.” In fact, all modern Bibles translate it this way.
The Amplified Bible says, “I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless]…”
Orphans are children who have lost or been abandoned by their parents. They have to worry about everything. They have no one to comfort them, to provide for them or to take care of their most basic needs. Orphans have to constantly think about where their next meal is going to come from, where they can shelter for the night, and how they can stay protected from those who would harm them.
Very little (if any) comfort is found in the life of an orphan. Orphans have no one to love them. No one to hold and embrace them, to tell them that everything is going to be all right. They are utterly alone.
If we are not careful, we can develop an “orphan mentality,” thinking that we are all on our own and that if we don’t find a way to take care of ourselves, then no one else will. We can get so consumed with cares and worries that we are constantly wondering what we are going to do about a certain situation.
But we must remember that we are children of the Most High God. Your Father holds the universe in His hands and He knows everything you have or don’t have. He is faithful and devoted to you. He loves you immensely (Eph. 2:4 AMP). He cares about you affectionately (1 Pet. 5:7 AMP). He delights in every detail of your life (Ps. 37:23 NLT). And He’s promised to meet every one of your needs (Phil. 4:19 NLT).
He wants to bless you in every area of your life!
If you are worrying and fretting, trying to figure out how you are going to meet your needs or fix your situation, then you’ve forgotten who you are. In fact, you’ve taken on an “orphan mentality.” And if you are thinking like an orphan, then it’s time to remind yourself Who you belong to.
There’s no reason to worry if your needs are going to be met or if your difficult situation will ever turn around when the God of the universe is your Father. He will never abandon you, nor leave you comfortless. He will always take care of you and always provide for you. Ask Him to help you, then trust in His faithfulness. Remember Who you belong to and that He will never leave you alone!
Subscribe to Flourish so you don’t miss another post!
(photo credit)
by Alisha | Jun 10, 2013 | Uncategorized
Last week I posted the following quote on Flourish’s Facebook page:
“Dare to believe God will lead you. You will embark on the most exciting life imaginable. A Spirit-led life is a thrilling day-by-day adventure with the Holy Ghost. You’ll start out walking baby steps, but if you keep going, God will change you from one degree of glory to another until one day, you’ll be walking in the very footsteps of Jesus!” ~ Lynne Hammond
The most exciting life imaginable…a thrilling day-by-day adventure…Sounds amazing, doesn’t it? But what if you don’t know how to be led by the Spirit of God?
It’s really much easier than you think! In fact, you’ve probably been led by the Spirit many times without even realizing it.
Romans 8:14 (NLT) says, For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
As a child of God, you can expect the Holy Spirit to lead you every moment of every day. And the number one way in which children of God are led by His Spirit is through the “inward witness.”
Romans 8:16 (NLT) says, The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God.
This inward witness of the Spirit, is an inward “knowing” – you just know what to do deep down on the inside of your spirit. We women often refer to it as “intuition.” You might have an impression or a perception about someone or something.
Intuition is defined as “direct perception of truth, keen insight, or instinctive knowledge.”
It comes from the Latin word intueor. Some translations of this would be “look at, consider or regard,” but another rendering of intueor (in and tueor) that I like is “inward tutor.”
This sounds just like the scripture in 1 John 2:27 (NLT):
But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you all things, and what he teaches is true — it is not a lie. So continue in what he has taught you, and continue to live in Christ.
You have an Inward Tutor living on the inside of you Who will teach you everything you need to know. He will to guide you in every area of life if you will allow Him to. When the Holy Spirit is leading you in a certain direction, it will seem good or right. It will feel like a “green light” on the inside of you. And you will experience an overwhelming sense of peace. (For more on being led by the Spirit of God, please read Your God-Given Purpose.)
As long as you keep a pure heart and your conscience clear, your intuition is a safe guide in life. Learning to follow that witness, knowing, perception or instinct, is a step in the right direction to being led by the Holy Spirit.
And if you will “dare to believe that God will lead you,” you will most certainly experience a thrilling day-by-day adventure with Him. No longer will you remain on the sidelines of life watching others fulfill God’s plan for their lives, but you will partake of your own amazing journey with the Lord.
Learning to be led by His Spirit will make you a success in every area of life. And it is truly the most exciting life imaginable!
Subscribe to Flourish so you don’t miss another post!
by Alisha | May 27, 2013 | Uncategorized
1. Morning time with the Lord
My days always seem to run a bit more smoothly when they begin in my study — the one place in our home that is solely mine. This is the place where I spend reading and meditating on the Word, and fellowshipping with the Lord in prayer. This is the time when my spirit is strengthened, my soul is restored, and my attitude is adjusted. I crave this precious time when the Lord speaks His tender love to me, showing me His mercy and grace, and romancing my heart. Time in His presence is vital.
2. Hot tea
A nice hot cuppa always accompanies my morning time with the Lord. It’s also a lovely little “pick-me-up” for the kids and me around 3pm. (Hey, we’re not Brits, so we don’t have to wait til 4- or 5 o’clock!) My daughter, Olivia, and I also usually have another cup around 8pm. And depending on what kind of day it is, we may have another sprinkled in there. I must say, I thoroughly and completely agree with the following statement:
3. Quality time with my husband
Ahh…I love this man! And I love spending quality time with him. Heck, it doesn’t even have to be “quality” time as long as we’re together. Whether we’re on a date at a nice restaurant, having a heart-to-heart discussion in which we share our hopes and dreams together, or just sitting in front of a Braves baseball game at home while he reads and I write, I just love being with him. And now, since he travels overseas ministering so often, time with him means even more to me!
4. Spontaneous hugs from my kids
They’re not so little anymore…not under my feet like they used to be. In fact, they are all involved in their own little worlds and their own interesting hobbies. But it sure does this mama’s heart good when they come up to me and give me a big ole hug! Two of them are taller than me now, so it’s not the same as it used to be…but they’re still my “babies.” And they still know how to make my day!
5. Family time
Another thing that makes my day is our family time. We enjoy game nights, family dates out, movie-a-thons (we’re currently in the middle of a Doctor Who fest — for the 3rd or 4th time), or getaways whenever we can. Most of these times are spent laughing with or at each other! We love to laugh!
6. A hard workout & dripping buckets of sweat
Well, I must admit it has finally happened. The girl who couldn’t stand to sweat or do cardio of any sort has fallen in love with it! I must say I amaze myself! 😉 That awesome feeling after giving 100% during a strenuous workout totally makes my day. I know I am doing something wonderful for me as well as for my family.
7. Rainy days
There’s nothing so wonderful to me as the sound of the heavy downpour of rain, and especially when it’s accompanied by rolling thunder. As a teen, I loved to wrap up in a blanket and sit on our front porch swing during a thunderstorm. Unfortunately, the position of the porch swing of our current home would leave me drenched if I did that now. So, I’ve settled for curling up on my comfy sofa under my goose down comforter to listen to it pour outside my windows.
8. My down comforter
And, as mentioned in the above point, I love to snuggle under my down comforter — even in the summer (as long as the air conditioning is on). Soft, fluffy and extremely comforting, it makes my day and night. The joke in our family is, the moment I lie down on the sofa and cover up with it, I am “out like a light” — even during the middle of an extremely LOUD action movie.
9. My laptop (and iPhone)
Is it weird that my laptop or smart phone can make my day? As a writer, it’s hard to be without my laptop since I can type faster than I can write out by hand (although, I’m not so fast on the iPhone). But I thoroughly love having the “world” at my fingertips through the internet. I love to be able to connect with friends near and far. I love being able to encourage others with the Word of God through this blog on my little laptop. A couple of times I have left it at church or at my mom’s overnight, and it felt like I had left a child there. (Hmm…I guess that is a little weird, huh?)
10. Anything that reminds me of England
As I’ve mentioned many times before, I am an Anglophile. And anytime I get to read an update or see a picture that reminds me of the time my husband and I spent in England, I get a little bit of a thrill. I can’t wait to be able to go back and take my kids there to visit! Hopefully, it will be very soon! (The picture below is of Dove Cottage, the home of poet William Wordsworth. It is located in Grasmere, in the beautiful Lake District of England.)
What are some of the little — or not so little — things that make your day? Leave me a comment below to let me know!
Subscribe to Flourish so you don’t miss another post!
Linking up with the lovely ladies of iHomeschool Network for the “10 in 10 Series” & with Many Little Blessings for “Top 10 Tuesdays.”
by Alisha | May 13, 2013 | Uncategorized
Lamentations 3:22-23 (NKJ) Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
Have you ever had one of those days where you mess up, slip up or flat out sin? You feel like a complete and utter failure. You may even wonder if you reached the limit of the mercy of God.
One evening as I was getting ready for bed, I found myself going over the day’s events in my mind. And I realized how I had behaved – how I had missed it. I don’t remember the exact details, maybe I hadn’t walked in love to someone or perhaps I didn’t fully obey the Lord in something. Whatever it was, I was inwardly chiding myself for it.
I remember thinking, “Thank God, His mercies are new every morning…I wish it were already morning!” And as I was having this conversation in my head, the Lord spoke to my heart and said, “It’s always morning somewhere in the world, so just receive My mercy now.”
That was so basic, but it came as such revelation to me! I had never thought about that simple truth.
It’s kind of like the plague of frogs in Exodus chapter 8. In verses 9-10, Moses told Pharoah to set the time for when he wanted Moses to pray that their houses would be rid of the frogs and Pharoah said, “Tomorrow.” Huh? Have you ever wondered why he didn’t say, “Right now! Please, I beg you!” ???
I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t have wanted to spend another night with frogs all over the place!
So why should I have thought that I had to spend another night before receiving the Lord’s mercy and compassion for my failures?
I’m so thankful that I didn’t! Aren’t you glad that He is always faithful and that His love is unfailing? I know I am! He is kind and gracious and compassionate and forgiving. Not only are His mercies new every morning, those same mercies endure forever (Psalm 107:1)!
In fact, the Bible tells us that the Lord delights in showing mercy and unfailing love (Micah 7:18). Click here to find out how mercy is God’s “specialty.” When we hope in His mercy and love it thrills Him (Psalm 147:11)!
So, if you’ve messed up and are in desperate need of a do-over, then just receive the beautiful mercy and compassion of our wonderful Lord! We never have to wait for the morning for it to be renewed, because it’s always morning somewhere in the world!
Subscribe to Flourish so you don’t miss another post!
