Category: From the Author

There Will Be Miracles (Manifesting Sonship Series Part VII)

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When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt [profound] compassion for them and healed their sick,~Matthew 14:14 (Amp) 

Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you,~Ephesians 4:32 (Amp). 

Miracle: a wonderful or unusual event that is believed to be caused by the power of God. An extraordinary event involving divine intervention. 

Adaptation from online Webster Dictionary. 

One of the greatest miracles is salvation. 

The birth of Jesus is an extraordinary event that involved divine intervention. God provided a way for all of humanity to come to know Him. 

The life of Jesus is filled with miracles. Scripture tells us He was moved with compassion (sympathetic consciousness of others pain coupled with a desire to alleviate it). Fueled by love and compassion Jesus brought divine intervention into the lives of many. 

As followers of Jesus He encourages us to do as we see Him doing. He tells to freely give as we have freely received. We are to be the heart, hands, feet, and mouthpiece of Jesus in the world. 

Here are some Scriptures to confirm those words.  

Heart of God: 

I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another,~Jesus (John 13:34-35). 

I find it interesting that Jesus did not say, “The world will know My disciples by their Bible knowledge or activities or church attendance.” He said the world would know His disciples by their love (agape) and unselfish love for one another. 

I’ve caught quite a bit a slack over the years for talking so much about the love of God. I’ve been told to talk about the severity, wrath, God’s anger over sin. 

Will God judge the world for their sins? Yes. Does God hate sin and evil? Yes. Is God weak? No. Does God conform to our culture and sinful desires? No. Is Godly sorrow and repentance required for salvation? Yes. 

My stance is what the Bible says. “God is love (agape). Those who do not love (agape) do not know God,”~1 John 4:8. I’ve found my role is to present the truth to people in love. It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convict hearts. It’s God’s job to issue out any eternal consequences for the unrepentant. He told me to love people. Even my enemies. 

What does love look like? Love looks like Jesus. 

It requires the supernatural work of God through us to love the unlovely.  It’s a miracle (extraordinary, amazing, divine work of God) to consistently love like Jesus. 

Hands of God: 

…if your enemy is hungry; feed him. If he’s thirsty give him a drink,~Romans 12:20 (Amp). 

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give,~Matthew 20:8 (Amp). 

We are also encouraged to care for the poor (Proverbs 29:7). 

Being the hands of God means we are allowing God to work through us to bring miracles into the lives of people. Those miracles may be financial, physical, food, spiritual…

Some simply associate miracles with only healing; there are many acts of miracles that are provisional. 

Theses are two stories from this  past holiday weekend. I went to visit my dad and it often involves some ministry time. 

I was shopping with my dad and had to go to the ladies room. There was a lady in line complaining about her back pain. I felt led to ask her if I could pray, but she was talking. Finally I asked her if I could pray for her back. She exclaimed, “Yes!”

God brought healing to her back (decreased her pain) the Walmart bathroom. She exclaimed, “I guess prayer does work!” Always amazed how the unchurched believe more in healing than some Christians. 

Also thankful for the visit with the sick, mentally ill, and spiritually oppressed yesterday. One man the nurse told me was quite hostile and aggravated. He’s known to be combative and have fits of rage. He wouldn’t let the first person pray with him. Yet he let me. I stood in awe while the Holy Spirit moved the heart of this moments earlier angry man to tears. He raised his hands at one point and cried out, “God with You nothing is impossible!” He let me hug him and he laughed with me. He stated, “Today is going to be a good day and next year a good year!!” He smiled his first smile of the day.

Others who overheard the prayer time cried out, “Pray for me too! I want God to heal me too!!!” 

It was a great afternoon of loving on people and watching God do what He does; love, heal, and deliver.

God’s Feet and Mouthpiece: 

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted [that it was really He]. Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.”~Matthew 20:16-20. 

We are told to go. We are told to make disciples of Jesus. We are told to teach others what Jesus is teaching us. How will the world know if no one goes? How will the sick be healed if no one prays? How will the spiritually oppressed find liberty if no one is willing to go to the nursing homes and mental hospitals to pray?  

If all the saved people are blessing and loving saved people, who is attending to the lost? Some people can’t come to our worship gatherings. Someone has to go for them. 

One of my greatest loves is street ministry.  I’ve seen the love of God in high capacity on the streets with the hurting, broken, dying, addicted, and diseased.

I purposefully chose a bench for my photo choice. We are not called to sit and receive until we die. Our attitude is not to be, “God bless me and no one else!”

We are called to demonstrate to the world what God is like. We are representatives of the heart, hands, feet, and mouth of Jesus. Everyone gets to participate. It’s not simply for pastors. Every follower of Jesus is called to freely receive and freely give. 

I’ve gone through many situations where God brought the miracle without another human being. I know this is possible. He also loves to colabor with us. He gave His Spirit who empowers us to love, to serve, to go, to teach. 

Father I thank You for all You have done for us. Help us to abide in Your  love and power. May our hearts overflow with tremendous compassion for humanity. May the world see Christ in us, the hope of glory! 

Happy upcoming New Year! You are so deeply loved and prayed for. 

Erin Lamb 

The Gift of Jesus 

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Love came down and entered humanity as a babe. He left paradise to enter sinful humanity. There’s no sorrow in heaven. There’s no sin or poverty. Jesus left the most peaceful of circumstances to save humanity. He came not as a warrior on horseback, but as a babe. 

It’s a timeless love story that never grows stale or cold. A king leaves His place of prominence to serve a lost and broken world. 

Jesus is the gift that changes lives. He transforms wicked men into righteous men. He comes with love in His eyes and healing in His wings. He is the physical manifestation of the heart of the Father. He is a loving Heavenly Father who was willing to give His only begotten Son so many sons and daughters could be restored to right standing with Him. 

It is also a story of redemption and sacrifice. What is love if it does not involve sacrifice? If love costs me nothing, it means nothing…For true love will always look for a way to give. 

Jesus marked the world with a kiss of heaven. 

His very life proclaimed, “I love you. I am willing to humble Myself. I am willing to pay the price for you. While guilty, I am still willing to give My all for you.” 

I know no greater love. I know no greater sacrifice. I know no greater love story! I know no better reason to celebrate than the life of Jesus. 

Jesus is the gift that exceeds all expectations. He is the gift that continues to be a blessing throughout the ages. He is the gift that transforms lives. He is the gift divine! 

Whatever you are facing this Christmas season; grief, loss, financial difficulty, physical pain, worry, anxiety, hurt, lack of family/friends…I want you to know God loves you with an everlasting love! He cares dearly and deeply about you. He gave His all for you. 

Our world has made the birth of Jesus about getting presents, giving presents, decorating, eating, trees, family and friend time. None of those activities are evil. I simply hope there’s time to reflect on the real gift, Jesus. 

It’s not about the presents. It’s about His Presence. 

 

God promises to never leave or forsake us. He promises to love when no one else will love. Every day His love is on full blast and directed towards humanity. He never stops loving and pursuing the best for His children. 

Papa God, thank You for Your plan of redemption. Thank You for Your mercy, grace, love, and choosing us to be the objects of Your affection. Thank You for the gift of Jesus. I ask for every person reading this to have a deep revelation of the height, depth, width, breath, and vast expanse of Your love. I ask that Your Presence and nearness would be felt this season. May each person encounter You and the wonder of Your love! For those sick, hurting, or struggling, I ask for healing, comfort, love, provision, comfort, and peace to come. I bless each one in the mighty name of Jesus. 

Merry Christmas to you! You are so deeply loved. 

Erin 

 

Releasing What You Carry (Manifesting Sonship Series Part VI)

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Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ, just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight,~Ephesians 1:3-4 (Amplified).  

“Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken-off] branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned.”~Jesus. ‭‭John‬ ‭15:4-6‬ ‭(Amplified).‬‬

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control,~Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV).

How do we manifest what God is like to the world? How do we walk in the Spirit, being led by the Spirit, and continually bear good fruit? How do we release what He’s deposited?

It Starts with Saving Faith

We are saved by faith in Jesus, by grace, as a gift of God through repentance (confessing our sins and changing our mind about sin). If you have not accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, check out How to Know Jesus. 

It Continues on with Relationship…

Fruit bearing is a manifestation of connection and relationship. How do we cultivate relationship with God? We can only release what we carry. 

For each person it may look a bit different. I am not suggesting you follow a formula or feel bound. There’s so much holy freedom in Christ. These are simply some things I do. 

  • Worship God. Worship is more than singing songs. Worship is a posture of the heart that says, “God You are greater than all things. You are worthy. All that I am is in awe of all You! I give you thanks, praise, adoration, my entire life! It’s all Yours!!“
  • Make time with God a priority. I have worship parties with God. It’s just us and sometimes there’s singing, dancing, laughing (lots of laughing), praising, or face down on the floor time. 
  • Study the word with God. God and I have study dates. Normally these are Sunday afternoons in the war room (prayer room). I study with His input. I learn the Bible with God. It’s our time. 
  • Talk to God daily. He loves to be with us. 
  • Listen to God and jot down what you believe He’s saying. I carry a prayer journal with me everywhere with documented prayers, words, impressions, etcetera…I have some that are over 10 years old. Wait 15 years old. I can go back and reference our time together and answered prayers, prophetic words fulfilled, and encouraging words He has spoken. 
  • Ask God for deeper revelations of His love, His Presence, and His care. He loves to answer this prayer.
  • Ask God what His agenda is for the day. Who does He want to bless? If we pay attention He will highlight someone or multiple people each day.
  • Obey God. Some have taught that obedience is legalism. It is not. Jesus perfectly obeyed the Father and I dare anyone to call Him legalistic. Obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22) and a manifestation of our love for God (John 14:15). We are a slave to whoever we obey (Romans 16:6). We are not saved by obedience. We are saved by faith. However to claim Christ and practice lawlessness is not something God celebrates or approves of. See Matthew 7:21-23. God hates what damages us. Sin is damaging.

What if you say, “My tree does not have abundant good fruit! Or I don’t have anything good to offer the world. I am barely making it.”

 
If I go out to an orange tree and it has no good fruit. I don’t curse the tree. I look at the root system. Only a tree planted in good soil, watered, receiving light from the sun will produce good fruit. Only a tree free of disease will produce good fruit. 

If I am not producing the good fruit of God’s likeness, it’s because I’ve disconnected from the Vine (God), forsaken intimacy (watering (Holy Spirit) and His Presence (Light)), forsaken fellowship (community), and chosen to live by my flesh instead of being led by His Spirit. If I’m still not producing good fruit, there are wounds/hurts (disease) in my soul that need healed. The spirit is saved, new at conversion. The soul is being sanctified (changed, cleansed, purified over time with God). 

God can and does heal the wounded soul. I will post more about that later. Our pride and rebellion can also block the flow of the Holy Spirit. It’s easy to confess those things to God and get the flow moving freely again. 

Releasing What You Carry…

Possession proceeds releasing. We can only give what we have first obtained from God. We receive by faith. 

  • We can only release by doing something. 
  • Faith requires activation. 

A couple years ago I was talking to God about wanting to see more sick people healed. He responded, “Go pray for more sick people.” I’ve seen God heal more sick people in the past 12 months than I have in  my entire walk with God. Mainly because when someone is ill, I jump to pray. 

Want more, release more! Find people to encourage, pray for, share the Gospel with, teach, mentor, disciple…pay it forward. 

God is a wise investor. If we use what’s given to bless others, He adds more. So, we stay connected and share what’s given. We love God for who He is, not to gain things from Him. If we spend time with Him, we will overflow with more than enough to share. 

Final Notes: 

There’s no fear in love. If I’m not producing good fruit in an area, I go to the Source (God). I abide in Him. I submit myself to Him and allow God to work in my soul that which is pleasing to Him. I deepen our connection. Good fruit is not produced by striving. It comes only through intimacy with God, abiding. 

Papa God, You are incredible and holy. I ask for all of us to be saturated with Your steadfast love, power, wisdom, and thoughts. Heal any wounds in our soul. Uproot unbelief, fear, pride, rebellion, insecurity. Plant us in good soil. Help us to stay under the waterfall of Your unfailing love. Keep our eyes on You! In Jesus mighty name. Amen. 

You are deeply loved and prayed for often. 

Love in Christ, 

Erin Lamb 

Orange tree photo courtesy of Pinterest. 

Glory to Glory (Manifesting Sonship Series Part V)

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Photo credit: Pinterest 

And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit,~2 Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified).

God’s glory is the external manifestation of His being. God’s glory is something that appears ( Exod 16:10), is revealed (Isa 40:5), or can be seen (Num 14:22)-source BibleStudyTools.

Holy Spirit is glorious! He is fully God and marks/seals believers as belonging to God (2 Corinthians 1:22). He works within us to reveal Jesus, righteousness, and to take us from glory to glory. 

I’ve heard some preach that since we are saved by faith and God loves us as we are, that means we are to stay as we are when God encountered us. This isn’t what the Bible teaches. It neglects the powerful work of the Holy Spirit.  When God encountered Paul (formerly Saul), he was persecuting and killing Christians. After his radical encounter with God, Paul became one of the most radical preachers of the Gospel. We see a murder and persecutor completely transformed.  

We worship a God who makes all things new. 

We too are called to transformation. It’s not transformation that is the result of striving. It’s a result of beholding Him and abiding (remaining) in Him (John 15:5).  

Our spirit is made new at conversion. Our soul (mind, will, emotions) and character are being transformed/sanctified. 

The Road to Tranformation…

Faith: It starts with believing God. My thoughts about God will determine what I become. If I believe God is harsh or critical, it will manifest in my behavior and response to Him. 

Believing the revelations of God’s word, nature, and character brings transformation. 

Truths I’d love for us to digest and meditate on today: 

  • God is love. It’s who He is, not simply what He does. It’s not based on our merit, behavior, or performance. 
  • God is truth. He cannot lie! Every word He speaks is truth. Every promise in Him is yes and amen. 
  • God is good. Every good and perfect gift comes from above from the Father of Lights who does not change like shifting shadows. 
  • God is holy. There’s no sin in God, and He will never lead you down a path of sin. We were born into sin; He paid the price to free us from sin. 
  • God is perfect in patience. God has infinite patience. He is not like humans who may toss you aside if you fail. Think of the prodigal son story. The Father was looking for the son! He ran out for his wayward son. If everyone else gives up on you, God will take you back. Come running…if you move an inch He will run miles. 
  • God cares for every detail of our lives. What matters to you, matters to Him. He knows every hair on our heads, every tear we have shed. He knows our thoughts, dreams, desires. He cares more than anyone else.  

His Word: I truly believe we are to be people of His Word. He gave it to us as food and a blueprint. We read, study, and seek Him with the Holy Spirit. I ask the Holy Spirit to teach me. 

Worship: Loving God, honoring God, celebrating God, and putting Him first in all things leads to such encounters. He inhabits the praises of His people. It takes the focus off who we are, what’s happening around us, and places the focus on Him. 

Intimacy with God: God invites us into relationship with Him. A deep, pure, growing relationship that’s life giving. It’s more than a Sunday morning activity. It’s a daily love relationship, more intimate than marriage.  

Obedience: Scripture tells us we are a slave to whoever we obey (Romans 6:16). We are either obeying God or the evil one. Obedience is better than sacrifice. Jesus perfectly obeyed the Father. I’m not suggesting perfectionism or striving. I’m stating there’s blessing in obeying God. If we miss the mark, we go to our Father and say sorry. He’s so eager to forgive. No shame and no condemnation (sentencing). 

What If What We See Isn’t Jesus? 

It’s a process. So the focus is God. If I sit down and look at the character of Jesus and my character, I have so far to go. He’s perfect. I am not. The objective isn’t a self help program or to try to make myself like Jesus. The objective is to remain in Him, let Him love me, and keep my eyes on Him. 

It’s not what we see. It’s what God sees and who He says we are. We are His image bearers in the earth!   
Photo credit Pinterest. 

You are so deeply loved friends! Lifting you up. God bless you. 

Love in Christ, 

Erin Lamb

God Esteem & Confidence (Manifesting Sonship Series Part IV-b)

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Sometimes WordPress behaves wacky. In the middle of my post on Moses it posted what was not finished. Hence getting more than one post today…😃

I left off talking about Moses letting God know about His weaknesses. God already knew. He knows everything. We are deeply loved by God, yet the story isn’t primarily about us…it’s about God. It’s about who God is. 

God has always existed. It’s His story for His glory, and we get to join His story. 

God had a plan to free His people, and He chose Moses to be His spokesperson. He knew when He chose Moses that he had a fear issue, fear of rejection, insecurities, and that Moses was not eloquent of speech. He didn’t walk up on Moses and say to Himself, “Hey I wonder what this guy is like? Can I use him?” 

God knows our flaws, fears, weaknesses, insecurities, wounds, shortcomings, and still calls us all to join His story. 

If you read the Bible cover to cover you will find only one who is perfect and He is Jesus. He perfectly represented the Father. 

What does that mean for us? 

1. It means we are who God says we are. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. He’s right in His assessment always. 

2. Our confidence is to come from our identity in Christ, nothing else. Jesus plainly said, “I am the Vine. You are the branches. If you abide in Me, you will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing,“~from John 15:5.

3. If God calls, He equips, and provides provision. It’s about Him being seen through us for His glory. We can’t take credit for what He has done when He works through our areas of weakness. We can’t take credit for our strengths either…

4. It’s not about our weakness, it’s about His strength! 

5. Even if we mess up, God has a redemptive plan. 

6. Low self esteem and insecurity are not the will of God, nor is it humility. 

a. Some today might applaud Moses for telling God he wasn’t qualified or worthy. God on the other hand rebuked him. He said to Moses, “Who made the mouth?” 

You may be thinking, “Easier said than done. This God esteem seems hard to walk out.” 

Ummmm…yeah! It’s something I’m learning to walk out. Confidence hasn’t always been applauded in my life. Some Christians labeled me arrogant for thinking I could hear from God and I didn’t have great experiences walking confidence out. If I stated I was a filthy sinner or worm, there was applause for my humility. Yet the more I searched the scriptures, the more evidence I found that God wanted us to accept His assessment of who we are. We were (past tense) dead in trespasses and sin. We were (past tense) sinners on the way to hell. 

Even in my occupation other women and some men made it their mission to sabatoge efforts for success. 

I am still walking it all out with you because God calls me way, way, way out of my comfort zone. I had zero desire to lead, be known, teach, preach, be on platforms, etc…leave me in a room with God alone and I’m as happy as can be. I had zero, zero desire to be a spokesperson for God. None. And God has called me repeadily to do what I never thought I could and many things I had no desire to do. 

Life examples:

After years of being somewhat beat down in ministry and enduring some intense persecution at work and with Christians. I am not talking about people just being rude either. I’m talking about being stalked, falsely accused, publicly humiliated and lied on, people trying to get me fired, cussed out in public places, vandalized property, people I didn’t know contacting me about gossip they heard, being removed from “friend” circles without warning, destroying my work samples….on and on…God calls me after this 7 year period of testing-(lets call it that), to minister to a stranger I met one time at a conference. 

My first response was, “Are you serious? Um no thanks.” God didn’t rebuke me like He did Moses. He kept nudging. “Will you go for me?” I was still hurting, still tired, over ministry, seeking rest and restoration. I had zero desire to go minister to someone I didn’t know. And I would hold things God gave me until I had courage to send them. It was hard. I had to overcome plenty of fear. Or at least move past it long enough to bless someone else. He would state the timing was on point. God had figured in my lag time.

That one act of (delayed) obedience led to years of being obedient, faithful, facing fears, and just being a vessel God could use, even while broken. It was super challenging as I felt a truck had backed over my life, yet it brought about good things for that person and their family. It also helped me grow in God confidence.  

The purpose of me telling you is this…Sometimes, you’re going to be afraid. Sometimes you may feel really small or inadequate. Sometimes you may not be well received. Yet if you give it to God, He will do something beautiful. You may not be the benefactor. It may be someone else. It’s for His glory. I told God He could have all of my life. Since then I’ve had chances to walk it out. 

We are His workmanship created for His glory. Your reward for being faithful to God (He does like to give rewards by the way), may be in heaven where moths and rust do not decay. Some may be on earth, I can’t say. I do know it’s worth it to believe what God says about us and to step out of the boat! 

No one wins games by sitting on the bench. 

No one walks on the water by sitting in the boat! 

Papa God I thank You that Your strength is made perfect in our weakness. I thank You that all You say about us is true. I thank You that You are so powerful to heal us where we are afraid, weak, broken, and insecure. Our true confidence is in You! I bless everyone reading this with Godly esteem and God Confidence. In Jesus name. Amen. 

Love, 

Erin 

Identity Crisis (Manifesting Sonship Series Part III)

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“Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations that’s what I had in mind for you,“~Jeremiah 1:5. 

Those are beautiful words spoken by God about the prophet Jeremiah. God affirms it is He who shaped Jeremiah in the womb. He is also the One who had a plan for Jeremiah’s life before he was born. You and I are no different from Jeremiah. God knew us before we were ever conceived and has a great plan for our lives. 

We matter to God. Every life has a purpose. You were not a mistake. If you were born male, God intended you to be male. If you were born female, God intended you to be that way. Your skin color, nationality, ethnic origin, place in history were all seen and known by God. He doesn’t make mistakes. Humans make poor choices or mistakes. Because of Adam and Eve we are born with a sin nature, yet God even took care of the sin issue through His Son. We may be born with issues, that doesn’t mean God intended for us to keep them. Nor does He wish for us to sin or have a perpetual identity crisis. He longs to restore humanity to the first estate. 

The first estate of Adam and Eve was God’s plan. Man and woman made in His image, without sin, linked together in the first human covenant, to be representatives of Him in the earth. He made mankind in His image (Genesis 1:27). They (man and woman) together represent what He is like. They were given a purpose; be with God, love God, love one another, have dominion on the earth, rule, subdue, be fruitful and multiply (procreate). 

“Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb.

I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation!

You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you. The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day,“~Psalm 139:13-16 (The Message). 

Our society has redefined identity. Even in the church. Everyone gets to be who they want to be. Our culture says if you feel like a duck, then you can become a duck and everyone around you must approve and applaud. If you dress like a duck, I’d still love you. God still loves you. That doesn’t mean you are a duck. Your DNA will still say human. No matter the pills we take, clothes we wear, or what we place on our drivers license/birth certificate, or what we call ourselves, our identity was selected by God and written on our DNA. 

On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it?~Romans 9:20. 

You may be saying you’ve never argued with God about your identity. Have you ever wished you were someone else? Wanted their gifts, talents, skills? Wished you could look like someone else or have what they have? Tried to change who you are to fit in, so people like and approve of you? Defined yourself by success, family, marriage, or associations instead of as a beloved child of God? Defined yourself by your sin instead of what God says? Allowed others to tell you who you are? Felt discontent because you couldn’t compete with others? Allowed the opinions of others or lack of approval/acknowledgement to steal your joy?

Our media is set up to bring confusion and discontentment. There’s no message that I can find of, “Be content with who you are and what you have.” Nor are there many messages stating God is the standard, the tuning fork we are to adjust our lives and thoughts to. 

Examples from life:

My personality is rare, the rarest among women according to Myers Briggs. People have told me, “You’re like a man.” I’m not a man. I’m 100% female and don’t wish to be a man. Yet it’s challenging when people try to define who you are by their standards instead of God’s. God gave me a mostly logical brain, and I am a thinker. I’m not into the same things many women are. Yet I am who God created me to be; created to display His creativity in the earth. 
Wait a minute! Don’t change my design…

There’s a comic artist I love online. Her comics bring such joy! One day she posted how people were taking her creations and chopping them off or changing them by only showing part of the image. She as the creator was livid that her original designs were being changed. She knew the message she wanted to send to the world. When her creation was changed, the meaning was lost and it no longer brought glory to her. She was no longer honored nor her true intentions seen. It wasn’t hers anymore. It was altered, changed, and the message confused. 

God handcrafted you! You were and are His design. 

I posted somewhere I had a vision a year or so ago with all these priceless hand cut gems from heaven. The Father was pouring them out into the world via a conveyor belt. They filled the earth perfectly. Each one different and unique, and perfectly cut so they fit together. He then lit up the world; it was the most brilliant scene. What if the diamonds decided to be rubies or the emeralds to be opals? They decide to make their own design and well, that’s where we get perversion. Which is something twisted, altered, and the wrong version. 

The evil one says, “Do what feels good to you. God made you different than what you appear. You can be who ever you want to be! It’s your world, your body, your ideas, your feelings, and passions that matter most.” Then he sits back and laughs at humanity like I believe he did with Adam and Eve. They forfeited God’s amazing plan for something that brought sickness, torment, disease, sin, pain, confusion, abuse, heartache…all the horrors we see in the world today go back to Adam and Eve choosing their way over God’s. The devil never told them the negative consequences of believing him over God. The devil never tells anyone that stepping outside God’s will cause eventual destruction. 

What’s the Good News?! The good news is God always has a redemptive plan. No matter how we feel or think about who or what we are, God can and will give us His lenses and perspective. He sent His Son Jesus to redeem humanity and reestablish broken, fractured, and lost identity. He takes what was broken in the Garden and makes it whole. 

God’s vision for humanity was represented in the Garden of Eden before Adam sinned. If Eve had truly believed she was made in the image of God, when the serpent tempted her with something she already had she may have resounded, “I am created in His image already. No thank you!” If she had fully grasped the goodness of God, maybe she would responded, “God withholds nothing good from me. He is good. I will not eat from this tree.” 

Sweet friends, God knew what He was doing when He created you. He has an amazing plan for your life. You are defined by heavenly standards and God sees someone He loves. He defines you by His book, His creative idea, by Himself. You were carved out of the imagination of God. God doesn’t define anyone by sin or the world’s standards. He looks at His children and calls forth their true identities as sons and daughters of God. It’s not about what we feel or what others say. It’s about what He says. Only the Creator can tell you the purpose and identity of His creation. You are a walking poem and billboard for God’s creative genuis. 

Papa God, please forgive us for trying to tell You who we are, for defining ourselves by the world’s standards or by our feelings/thoughts/passions/insecurities. Please cleanse us of pride, insecurity, deception, rebellion, perversion, and unbelief. Please forgive us for redefining who we are in ways that dishonor and disrespect You. Help us to seek You for identity because the greatest title we can carry is child of God. Help us to see ourselves through Your eyes. Show us what we were born for. In Jesus mighty name amen.

You are so deeply loved! 

Erin 

Adopted into a Royal Family (Manifesting Sonship Series Part II)

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Photo credit: Pinterest 

Adopted children are chosen for love, desired, and given the same access to the Father as natural children. 

Beautiful friends, I’m so thankful you’re joining me on this exploration of sonship. Knowing who God is and who we are in Him is so crucial to living an abundant life and manifesting what He’s like to the world. 

I cannot love myself, love others, or fully love God if I do not first know His love for me. I also cannot imitate someone I do not know. It’s impossible to bear the fruit of His likeness without abiding (remaining in Him). See John 15:5. 

You and I were once unreconciled to God. Scripture tells us all but Jesus have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). God however had a redemptive plan all along, to save the world through His Son. Through relationship with Jesus we have the opportunity like Him to call God Abba Father. 
Let’s dig into some scripture that talks about our adoption. 

Ephesians 1: 3-14 (Amplified)

Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ, just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will— to the praise of His glorious grace and favor, which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [His Son, Jesus Christ]. In Him we have redemption [that is, our deliverance and salvation] through His blood, [which paid the penalty for our sin and resulted in] the forgiveness and complete pardon of our sin, in accordance with the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and understanding [with practical insight] He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, with regard to the fulfillment of the times [that is, the end of history, the climax of the ages]—to bring all things together in Christ, [both] things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have received an inheritance [a destiny—we were claimed by God as His own], having been predestined (chosen, appointed beforehand) according to the purpose of Him who works everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ [who first put our confidence in Him as our Lord and Savior] would exist to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation, and [as a result] believed in Him, were stamped with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit [the One promised by Christ] as owned and protected [by God]. The Spirit is the guarantee [the first installment, the pledge, a foretaste] of our inheritance until the redemption of God’s own [purchased] possession [His believers], to the praise of His glory.

I gave you lots of verses for a reason; we have a weighty inheritance. I encourage reading these verses again and again asking the Holy Spirit to root them deep into your heart and mind, soul and spirit. 

What can we take away from these verses. 

  • You and I are no mistake! We were on God’s mind before the foundation of the earth. Our earthly parents may have been confused but God wasn’t. 
  • God wanted and wants a personal and intimate relationship with us. We were chosen. Adopted children are wanted and chosen (hand selected). 
  • We have a spiritual inheritance in Christ. We are not orphans without an inheritance or future. This means we are not paupers, beggars, nor are we poor. Our Heavenly Father owns everything. He’s not poor.  
  • We have been given His name and His seal. In Christ, we are His. I was adopted. I took my Father’s name. Everything the natural children received because of my father’s name, I received. We are coheirs with Christ. Not beggars outside the gate. 
  • We become a Royal Priesthood! …you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light,~1 Peter 2:9. 
  • We can boldly approach the throne of grace, our Heavenly Father (Hebrews 4:16). We have been given access in the Son (Jesus). 
  • We don’t have to beg God to do things. We are His children; He longs to do what’s right more than we do. Jesus told us to ask, believe, not beg (Matthew 7:7-11). He withholds nothing good (Psalm 84:11). Our idea of good doesn’t always match His, His timing, or His understanding yet He’s always working for good. 
  • We are unconditionally loved. God chose us in love before we ever said yes to Him. Therefore His love isn’t based on our performance. He loves us because He loves us. 
  • He chose us individually, therefore His love is not a cookie cutter love. 
  • We are not without family, purpose, or a divine destiny. When your Daddy is God you can dream big and bigger! He’s unlimited. Each person has a divine destiny and purpose. Your life matters. 
  • God likes you! He likes me! No one chooses something they don’t like or value. The value of something is determined by how much someone will pay for it. The Father gave His Son. Jesus gave His life. 

I will end by saying God longs to be with us. He’s not a cruel dictator or tyrant. He longs to be with us to love us. He actually enjoys our company. I struggled with this concept until my niece came along. I love her with my life and she makes messes, has mini tantrums, destroys flowers, and can’t communicate fully yet. I love being with her and doing what she likes to do. 

One day I asked God, “Why do You like being with me? I haven’t said anything remotely intelligent all day and even if I tried, I can’t match You.”

He responded, “I love you. I love you more than you love Naomi. You simply enjoy being with her. I enjoy being with you. You’re my daughter and if you do nothing I’m right here loving you.”

May you and I believe, accept, and bask in our identity as God’s child. If you’re not in Christ, have not repented and asked Him to be Lord over your life, He’s longing for you. Check out How to Know Jesus.

Papa God thank You for choosing us. I ask every lie about identity would be uprooted and replaced with Your truth. May we know the height, depth, width, & vast expanse of Your amazing love. Show us what it means to be Royal, and model Kingdom Royalty like Jesus-a humble servant. In Jesus mighty name, amen. 

Love,

Erin Lamb

Who’s Your Daddy? (Manifesting Sonship Part I)

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We act out of our identity- who we believe we are and who we believe we belong to. 

One of my favorite stories is about a member of royalty who is separated from her family at childhood. She doesn’t realize who she is, yet there’s a longing inside of her for more. She’s been made to believe her place is to stay secluded in this tower away from civilization. Yet every year she sees lights floating through the sky and it intrigues her to long for more. 

Our world is filled with people who don’t realize who their Father is. They live in towers of fear and insecurity. Some in cages of poverty, self hatred, anger, rage, hatred of others, perversion, lies, lost or misplaced identity, or abuse. 

We teach children in schools they evolved from apes and then wonder why they behave like wild animals. We removed the Creation story that taught children they were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Their father became an animal instead of the Creater of the Universe. 

If my identity is a wild animal instead of a child of God, then my behavior will model that of a wild animal. It’s no wonder we see story after story of people taking the lives of others. Wild animals don’t value life. God values life. 

Studies have shown father or daddy issues attribute to so many societal problems. Why? Because our fathers establish identity. Women can help shape and mold the identity of a child, yet God created the family to have a father and a mother. 

Fathers have a specific role. They give their name. The name ties back to origin. Where did you come from? When the Bible speaks of man being the head of woman, that word “head” speaks to the source or origin, like the head of a river. God pulled Eve out of Adam. She is wo-man. Her name reveals to you her origin. It was not a statement of male domination or to say Eve was inferior. God let us know where she came from. Both were created in the image of God. Children coming from Eve carried the DNA of their mother and father.  

You will notice in the Bible genealogy (God telling you where people originated from). 

When I visit my dad, the people in the town say, “That’s Mr. Lamb’s daughter.” What does it mean to be a Lamb? What are we known for? Well in my fathers case the Lamb’s are known for: 

  • Loving God 
  • Radical generosity 
  • Praying for the sick 
  • Preaching the Gospel 
  • Reaching the lost 
  • Caring for widows and orphans
  • Faith 
  • Hope 
  • Love
  • Mercy 
  • Extravagant forgiveness
  • Hospitality 
  • Gift giving 
  • Feeding people (naturally and spiritually)
  • Loving strangers and outcasts

Growing up, my father established through his words and actions what it meant to be a Lamb. As his daughter, I learned my identity as God’s child, as his child. When people call my name, they are expressing the name of my father- Lamb. My name tells the world my identity-who I came from. The people in my dad’s town sometimes say, “You’re so much like your parents.” It may seem silly but there are certain things that became the Lamb thing to do, like loving strangers. I saw my dad doing it and believed I was to do the same. 

Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing. If we are sons and daughters of God, then we will begin to do what we see God doing. It becomes a Kingdom of God thing to do. It happens through intimacy (knowing, proximity, abiding) with God.

So what if your earthly father was not around, unsaved, abandoned you, didn’t set a good example, or didn’t give you his name? What if he never affirmed you, didn’t encourage you, and did not or does not love you with the unconditional love of Christ? There’s good news. Really good news! You ready? 

God longs to be your Father. Even though all creation is created in His image, those not in fellowship with Him through His Son Jesus are not considered sons and daughters of God. They are yet to be grafted into His family. 

For you [who are born-again have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified and] are all children of God [set apart for His purpose with full rights and privileges] through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union with the Christ, the Anointed] have clothed yourselves with Christ [that is, you have taken on His characteristics and values]. There is [now no distinction in regard to salvation] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you [who believe] are all one in Christ Jesus [no one can claim a spiritual superiority],~Galatians 3:26-28 (Amplified). Recommend reading all of Galatians 3. 

God longs for all of us to be reconciled to Him through His Son and also to know Him intimately as a loving Father. He longs to deposit His life, give us His name, redefine our identity, and help us to see who we truly are. Only He knows why each person was created. See Psalm 139 and Jeremiah 1:5. 

When we know who our Father is, cultivate intimacy with Him, the following begins to manifest in our lives: 

  • Confidence in who we are. Insecurity melts away when we fully believe we were carved out of the heart of God. We are His image bearers, His workmanship. 
  • Confidence He hears us. When we believe we are God’s child and truly have His backing, we don’t beg. We ask and believe He will answer. 
  • Confidence in His abilities. Worry and fear are manifestations of unbelief; God will not take care of this. Trust me I know what it’s like to deal with fear, doubt, worry, and have to repent for unbelief. 
  • We treat ourselves with respect, honor, and dignity. God doesn’t make junk so we begin to care for ourselves better when we see who He is. 
  • We treat others with respect, honor, and dignity. We place tremendous value on what’s created in His image. 
  • We long for the Light, to walk in the Light. He is holy. As we behold our Father, we begin to crave holiness. Sin doesn’t taste as sweet. 
  • We begin to walk out our destiny. Being is always to proceed doing. Jesus was with the Father for 30 years learning obedience before He stepped into ministry. 

I leave us with this prayer. 

Papa God I ask for all of us to know You! To truly know who You are and have our beliefs align with heaven. I ask for hearts, minds, spirits, and bodies to be restored to Sonship. May we live out what Jesus paid for. Every father wound be healed in Jesus name. Every orphan spirit be bound in Jesus name. I loose the Spirit of adoption over every person. Every lie placed to inflict wounds of inferiority, rejection, or hurt be uprooted and replaced with God’s truth. I declare you are wanted, pursued, cherished, adored, celebrated, desired, significant, important, God’s workmanship, created for Glory, and God is proud to call you His own! In Jesus powerful name, amen.

Love & hugs, 

Erin Lamb 

Come Up Higher (Manifesting Sonship Series Intro)

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Photo Credit: Pinterest 

Beautiful friends, I am starting a new series on manifesting sonship. What does this mean? Glad you inquired. 🙂  It will be a series devoted to dissecting God’s words on identity, praying, and activations in identity. 

What does it mean to be a son or daughter of God? Who are you in Christ? What were you created to do? How does God see you? What do you have access to in the Son? How do you appropriate and activate (walk in) what’s already given? What is Kingdom authority? How do you win spiritual battles?

Once we know who God is, we find out who we are. Once we find out who we are, we begin to manifest the likeness of God in the earth. All of creation is groaning for the sons and daughters of God to arise, come up higher, and take their rightful place in the earth. 

We were created for dominion. We were created to bring heaven down. We were created to bring God glory and manifest what He’s like. 

The disciples did more than learn the teachings of Jesus. They did what they saw Him doing; preach the Gospel, heal the sick, cleanse lepers, deliver the oppressed, feed the poor…we can and are called to do those things as well. 

I wanted to start this series with some tools. 

One of the enemy’s greatest tools/objectives is to pull you and I down to his level. He’s on the ground under the feet of Jesus. He’s defeated. Don’t let him fool you. He has authority surrendered to him by humans. He’s not God’s equal. He’s not even on the same playing field as God. It simply looks that way if you don’t know God or have been pulled down to the evil one’s level. 

Intimidation is powerful. If you can convince someone they are powerless or weaker than you, you can beat them every time. 

Important note: the evil one is not bigger or more powerful than God. He’s not more powerful than the Holy Spirit in you! 

Come Up Higher:

Life from God’s perspective is SO much sweeter. 

I learned in Krav Maga (Israeli Street Fighting/Self Defense) you never want to fight on the ground. Ground fighting gives your enemy an advantage over you. Don’t fight on his level. Come up higher, keep him on the ground. 

God tells us we are seated in heavenly places in Christ, that’s far above principalities and powers. He says we have authority in His name and power in the Holy Spirit. He says we are above and not beneath. Need scriptural references, check out  Ephesians 1 and Ephesians 2.

We don’t ground fight with a defeated enemy. We rise above him and stomp on his head. How? 

  • Intimacy with God (stay connected to the Vine in every season). Apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). 
  • Through worship & praise (true worship opens the heavens and attracts the glory of God)
  • Through declaring God’s words (Heaven responds to declarations aligned with God’s will). The power of life and death is in your tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Say what He’s saying. Words are seeds that once you plant them they are growing something for heaven (good) or hell (death, discouragement, evil). Toss the gossip, back biting, complaining.
  • With joy (joy is a weapon).The Bible says, “Rejoice, again I say rejoice!” (Phil 4:4).
  • By maintaining peace (peace and patience are mighty). Be still and know He is God. He will be exalted in the earth (Psalm 46:10)
  • Through forgiving others & releasing offense (harboring unforgiveness and offense gives the evil one prime access to your life.)
  • Through rest (abiding in God is powerful). 
  • By walking in agape love (God’s love is the most powerful force in the Universe!)
  • By obeying God and doing what we see Jesus doing. Jesus listened and watched for what the Father was saying and doing. He maintained alignment with heaven. 
  • Release what you carry. Pity parties don’t bring breakthrough-focusing on the problem or solely inward. Found when my life is blowing up one of the best things to do is go be a blessing. Nothing angers hell more than you being like Jesus: share the gospel, pray for the sick, share God’s love. I send a message, “If you attack me, I’m simply going to keep releasing what God has deposited. I give more!” 

Sweet friends, I hope you’re excited about this new series. I am. I am cheering for you. I am praying for you! Leave a comment if you have specific prayer needs. You are deeply loved! You are God’s workmanship, created for glory. 

Papa God I ask You’d bless each of us with a deeper revelation of who You are, how much You love us, who we are in You, Your plans for the earth, and show us life from heaven’s perspective. Everything is infinitely small compared to You. Take us higher and deeper in Your love. In Jesus powerful name, amen. 

Love in Christ, 

Erin Lamb 

  

 

It’s a Journey (Notes from the Wilderness)

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Photo credit: Pinterest, Tony Evans

Beautiful friends, I might have one more post in me for the Spiritual House series. However, stay tuned for a new series upcoming-Abiding & Walking out Sonship. We need to know who we are as children of God. 

Today, I hope to impart hope from my journey. You’re reading words from a person who understands brokenness and the wilderness. I walked through abuse (verbal mostly), sickness, loss, betrayal, persecution, persecution from Christians, abandonment from my biological father, rejection from peers, rejection from family members, and so many things I won’t drudge them all up. My heart has been broken so many times; by family, in ministry, by friends…by people who claimed to love God. 

When people say to me, “I wish I had your relationship with God or your life is so good,” I want to say to them, “You don’t want to go where I’ve been and walk through what I have walked through with God.” 

My life has been walking through whatever I have been called to minister to. Like Jesus, I’ve had to walk it out. I went through many years of devastation…Needing miracle after miracle…Cheating death over and over…Living under persecution for almost a decade, praying, fasting…crying out for a miracles. 

God didn’t always deliver me from. He delivered me through. There’s so much of my story you’ll have to hear in the Suffering with Christ book I’m working on. There’s not enough space here.

I don’t glorify suffering. I do think people need to know all of life with Jesus isn’t skipping through parks of roses. If you suffer, it doesn’t mean you don’t love God or have enough faith. 

I feel I walked out of the wilderness in late 2012. Battered, bruised, tired, over trauma and near death experiences, over phony church love (yes I said it-I was tired of being beat up by Christians and imitation love), exhausted, wounded, discouraged, grief striken, and fed up. I had walked through both parents having cancer, my own sickness, too much church drama, losing a parent, losing “friends”, perpetual harassment at work, and so much more. I was done…

How do/did those wounds heal? God. 

Crucial Keys/Notes 

1. Forgiveness: forgive the people who’ve hurt you. Many of them don’t know God’s love. There are people in your church community/life who do not know the love of God. They can’t give what they haven’t received. You forgive (release them to God-don’t gossip, don’t seek revenge) and keep connection with God. If you’re upset with God, talk to Him. He’s not afraid of pain or you. 

Pray for those who hurt you. Their greatest sin is against God. They need Him and to know Him.

2. Seek God. 

My major healing didn’t happen with a SOZO, a pastor, a conference, counseling, or reading a book. 
The healing began with God. Over and over He would meet with me and heal one part of me then another. Some progress was quick. Others slow and painful. I was like a person who had been backed over repeadily by a semi truck and every bone broken. 

I was saved and sad. My soul was sick. Abundant life is in His word, yet I wasn’t seeing it in the people around me. 

The mentality was, “As long as my spirit is okay. I’m saved. I am okay.” This is false. We can be saved, on our way to heaven and miserable because we are filled with unbelief, fear, anxiety, depression, despair, insecurity, without lasting joy, or hope. 

Jesus paid for the whole person to be healed and restored!-Saved, healed, and delivered. 

God is the Source of abundant life. Get to know God personally. Intimacy with God is crucial. 

Quite a bit of my wounding came from other Christians who were either insensitive, ignorant (unlearned about dealing with people who had lived through trauma or abuse), unloving (let’s throw a scripture on it), wanted to be grief buddies (let’s be broken together), critical (if you were truly saved, this would not be happening  to you), or they avoided or ignored me (this isn’t my problem-go see a counselor-I’m only called to love those in my circle-get your needs met elsewhere). 

So I’m a huge proponent of going straight to God.  

There are some great Christian counselors, pastors, people. I’ve peer counseled, led people through deliverance/inner healing. Yet I tell people to continually seek God. I’m only human. I am limited. God is not limited. He can do more in a moment than I can in a lifetime. 

Recommend: 

Pray and ask God who you should confide in. Some people aren’t concerned, they are nosey or miserable too and want company. Some are not equipped to handle other’s brokenness. 

3. Learn the voice of God. 

This key kept my mind. You have no idea the warfare that raged on for years because I didn’t know how to fight. Fight from victory! God already won. 

In life I need His voice.  God saved my life so many times through communicating with me. 

I learned through His still small voice, dreams, visions, impressions, etc…He encouraged my heart, mind, emotions, spirit. His word is incredible. That’s where we started. He would speak the word to me. 

The most comforting thing He showed me during a horrible time was an open vision of me sitting on His knee. In the vision He pulled up movie scenes from my life. He pointed and He acknowledged He was there. He showed me that no matter what I faced, my Papa God was always going to be there. Some things in the last few scenes nearly tore my world apart. He stood with me. He let me know ahead of time, “This will hurt. This will shake your world, yet I am there.” In that vision I was a little girl. And that’s how I view myself now, a little girl on her Father’s lap. 

I live under the waterfall of His voice! Intimacy; listening…abiding. 

What is He teaching me about Himself during this trial or season?

4. Forgive the Process

I’d love to say through it all I’ve been this fierce warrior of faith. I’d love to say I’ve applauded God every second of the process. Nope. After my discipleship group (some of them) turned on me, lied, gossiped, betrayed my trust…and my pastor at the time eluded to the fact I had an idolatry problem because I was wounded from being betrayed by people I’d given my entire heart to for 3.5 years….Not to mention both my parents got cancer during that time, and I was being persecuted at work. I completely shut down. I closed my life off to anyone other than God and my immediate family. 

During that time with God, I had to forgive the process. Did God cause all these things? No. Did He allow them? Yes. Is He using it for His glory? Yes. 

5. Soak in His love; Find hope in His word. 

Soaking is my favorite thing. It’s focused time with God. It’s resting in His love. I soak with worship music or none at all. I invite God to speak, minster to my heart. Wow! He deposits so much. 

His word is filled with life. I do declarations and pray the word of God. I speak to my soul. I speak to my spirit. I highly recommend investing in saying what God is saying over your situation. 

“God Your word says, where Your Spirit is there is liberty!”

6. Understand it will hurt and you will grieve. 

I mostly grieve with God because He understands how to deal with me. I sometimes grieve with others but not very much. Sometimes people, though well meaning, leave you feeling worse. 

7. Pray for healthy, loving community. 

The worst thing I found in seasons of pain and suffering was the wrong community. It’s worse than no community. We tell people to be in community, yet if it’s not rooted in true agape love and centered on Jesus it can be a disaster. 

I hate it when people say, “hurting people hurt people” so don’t stay away from those who do bad things. If every time I see you I punch you in the face and say, “Hurting people hurt people,” you’d stop coming around me. At least I hope you’d confront me and say, “I love you but this behavior is not okay. Stop or I am distancing myself until you learn self control.” There’s a huge difference between being easily offended and staying in an unhealthy place. 

God longs to connect you with believers who will love you! 

I’m super thankful for my current church. There have been times I’ve gone in hurting and without me asking someone would come pray for me, share a word of hope, or prophetic word. 

There are great churches everywhere. Find your tribe! Pray for God to bring in people who love like Him. There are some. 

God longs to be the primary person to meet our needs. He also wants to love us through people. He sets the lonely in families. You are not alone. 

Well, I’ve given you lots of words. I hope you know you are loved! I’m praying for you (not just saying that). If I can make it, and it was so challenging, you can too. I have more JOY today than I’ve ever had. I laugh more than any of my friends. 😄 God heals! Yes indeed. 

Love,

Erin