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Abby Marie

Abby Marie works in branding and design for Christian entrepreneurs. She currently works at a small nonprofit in Maryland. Abby is passionate about Jesus and desires to see today’s Christians return to their First Love.

Feeling Lost without Jesus
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I Feel Lost But Know God Will Find Me Again

by Abby Marie
written by Abby Marie

When Hurricane Maria hit my island in 2017, I lost a lot of my faith. I, an owner of a little online ministry, a bold follower of Christ; always reading my Bible, serving, seeking to further the Kingdom of God with no reserve… However, I lost my faith, the most important thing to me.  

It felt like my whole life was over. God was so distant. The past no longer meant anything, my future held confusion, and my present vacant of all hope. I could feel nothing, think of nothing. I was lost in a vortex of emptiness. I tried praying but no words would come. I couldn’t talk to my Beautiful One, my precious Friend Jesus and I didn’t know why.

I was silenced. Despite an inner knowing that God was reaching out to me in this disaster, I couldn’t move. I was stagnant and just wanted to remain where I was, because I had no strength to do it. To get up and go to Him. I could not. I felt I was dying.

Almost two years later, I am still in this dark cloud of uncertainty. I still feel silenced. And no matter how much I try to get out of it, I seem to only drown further. It’s hard to pray. It’s hard to read the Word. It’s hard to do anything. I often just want to run away. To keep running and never stop. I don’t want to consult this pain, this thing that hangs over me every single second of the day. I just want it to cease.

Though it seems like my wick is barely burning, willing to die out completely, I have still tried to persevere and not give up the good fight. It has been so hard, but I am determined to find Jesus, my Master, because I know He is worth it. No, I have not arrived yet; I cannot tell you that I am better now and life is okay, because it wouldn’t be true.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost

But what I do have is the determination to continue to go to the feet of Jesus until this cloud leaves me. Until I have victory, I will not cease to read the Word and believe God is talking to me, and has not given up on me.

I don’t know where you are today, what it is that you are drowning in, whether it be a family problem, financial stress, health concerns, or hey, even PTSD from a natural disaster… All I know to do, is to encourage you to keep going. To not stop going to the feet of Jesus.

There might be times when you don’t want to read His Word, moments when you have no words to pray, days when you do not even want to get out of bed and live. It is okay, friend. Because God will find you. He will come and He will rescue you.

It might not be immediately… it might be a long time before you see the light again… but the Lord is never late. He will come to you. He promises this in His word (John 14:18). He will defend you. He knows where you are… He will reintroduce you to His love and put you back together. Don’t stop going to Him. He will come for you.

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18)

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Articles

4 Ways to Walk in the Spirit Daily

by Abby Marie
written by Abby Marie

Walk in the Spirit Daily

The Holy Spirit is the child of God’s pipeline to the Father; it is the enabling power to fulfill the law of righteousness. All over the New Testament, we are exhorted to “live according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:5).

Now, I am more of a practical kind of girl, rather than theoretical. After giving my life to Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit, I knew that I needed to walk in Him as the Bible instructed me to, but I didn’t understand how this was supposed to (realistically) be done on a daily basis, especially as a fourteen-year-old.

I’ve since learned that walking in the Spirit is not an abstract concept – it is simply surrendering to the indwelling life of Christ in us. I diligently sought the Lord on how to do this in my life, and He faithfully taught me. While I know that there is more to learn on the subject, I have discovered four essential keys to walking in the Spirit Daily that I’d like to share with you here.

4 Keys to Walking in the Spirit

1. Pray About Everything

Praying should be our first instinct in all situations (Philippians 4:6). Not only does prayer keep our focus on the mind of Christ but it allows the Spirit to have full access to every area of our life – including the regular things we do every day. I was recently having a chat with a friend about a technical issue she was having with her laptop during lunch break. Nothing very significant was said in our discussion, but I became somewhat overwhelmed by it.

I didn’t want to let my temper control the situation or the atmosphere so in that very moment I prayed and I gave the agitated feeling I had in my heart to God. It may sound irrelevant but if I hadn’t prayed, I would have been overwhelmed by the stressfulness of the conversation and could have reacted out of impatience towards my friend. Because I brought that ordinary, little moment to Him, I was able to continue listening to my friend with an attitude of cheerfulness, alert in the knowledge that God perhaps wanted to help her through me.

To put it simply: walking in the Spirit on a daily basis means talking to Him about every little thing in your day!

2. Don’t Stop Him

Allowing fleshly behaviors or selfish ambitions to motivate how we act and what we do in a day can quench the Spirit’s outflow in our life – both in us and coming out of us. It isn’t that the Spirit has a power switch that we can turn on and off. But He can be quenched (1 Thessalonians 5:19). We must remember that the Spirit is able to grieve (Ephesians 4:25) which means we have the ability to offend Him. According to God’s Word, our flesh is contrary to the Spirit (Galatians 5:17). If we allow our flesh (that selfish part of us) to dominate our thoughts and our conduct, we will silence the Spirit’s gentle flow in our life and stop Him from showcasing His fruit in us. Hence, we must be vigilant in how we interact with people and the activities we allow ourselves to participate in at all times.

3. Spend Time with Him

It’s important to know the thoughts and interests of the Holy Spirit so that we can heed His guidance. He’ll direct us in His still small voice but if we aren’t about to recognize it (and don’t bother enough to listen for it), we will miss His plans entirely. This is why we must cultivate daily intimacy with Him. We will not only hear the Spirit clearly when we spend time in His Presence, but we will become more familiar with how He speaks and be in tune with the way He operates.  After I made quiet time a daily habit, it became easier to detect His voice and sense His inspiration throughout the day.

4. Just Say Yes

The Holy Spirit has plans for our lives and He’s sure to reveal them to us. In order to walk in the Spirit throughout the day (and night), we must be constantly giving the “not my will, but yours be done” response when He speaks.

At around 9 o’ clock the other night, I decided to wind down by reading a couple of interesting blogs. But after a few minutes, I stopped myself, wondering if that’s what I was meant to be doing. Apparently, it was not, for I suddenly heard the Spirit say, “[Your sister] needs your assistance.” Then I remembered that my sister had asked me to work on a graphics project for her, and I had given my word that I would help.

Yet His gentle reminder had come and gone so quickly that I wondered if it had just been my own mind. But as I had just been searching out the will of God in my heart, I knew I couldn’t lay the instruction aside. Despite how late it was, I surrendered my exhaustion to the Lord and immediately went to text my sister about her project. Before I had even gotten the page to load, there was a knock on my door and in walked my sister, saying, “So, I need your help!”

I’m always dumbfounded by the practical and mysterious ways that the Spirit works in my ordinary life. He will always show us the way and His desires no matter where we are or what we’re doing – we just have to say yes to Him every time. So let the Holy Spirit have the reins to your life and you we will find yourself truly harnessed to the will of God.

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

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Articles

I Lost My Phone One Night And It Turned Out To Be The Best Thing

by Abby Marie
written by Abby Marie

I had crawled into bed and turned on my phone like usual. I was in the mood to zone out and forget about everything that was consuming my worried mind. I opened Instagram and was about to scroll through my feed when my sister asked to talk. Reluctantly, I obliged.

We ended up having a very long conversation that ended with a long prayer session. Finally, retreating to my room in the early morning hours (or so my internal clock guessed), I got back into bed and pulled the covers over my head only to realize that I didn’t have my phone with me. I tried to remember where I had last placed it, but couldn’t for the life of me. Sitting up, I scanned the room, looking for my small black iPhone. It was nowhere in sight.

Now, I always keep my phone under my pillow at night…

But something inside me told me to just let it go. I was perplexed but I laid back down and searched for God in my thoughts. He felt distant and I felt strange. I couldn’t remember the last time I had given Him an hour of my time at night except for a general quick prayer of thanksgiving.

My norm each day was to wake up and check my phone. The last thing I did before closing my eyes at night was look at my phone. It had become an addiction and definitely something I couldn’t live without. Each night I told myself I would turn my phone off earlier so that I could spend time with God, but it never seemed to happen. “Tomorrow I will,” I would determine and yet I never did as much as I wanted to.

My New Year’s Resolution this year was to cut down screen time so I could focus more on my relationship with God and hear what He’s telling me. Not only does my phone steal time from devoting myself to Him, but it’s actually bad for my health. Yet, despite how important these two things are, I couldn’t bring myself to cut the tie. I tried, on New Year’s Eve, to put my phone down and even on New Year’s day, but I couldn’t give it up. Internet, work, and entertainment can seem far more interesting than finding quiet moments. I told myself I would try again the next day, but I did not. Just like always.

How many times have you said you would stop doing this or start doing that and you were unable to take the plunge? How many times have you resolved to change undesired traits or bad behaviors, only to fall short the very next day?

I realized something the night I lost my phone

In order to change our behavior, we must first change our hearts. My heart had been far too concerned about other things and not concerned enough about Jesus. I had put more value on my work and my other relationships than I had on Him. I was running after goals and dreams that, while good in themselves, were not edifying in light of eternity as they didn’t bear God’s stamp of approval – simply because I had never asked Him about them. Hence, the little goal of putting my phone down thirty minutes earlier than usual was impossible because my heart wanted otherwise.

As I began talking to God that night – without my phone in hand – I felt His presence and peace. He probed my heart to turn my affections and focus back to Him, which I did.

The next day, I didn’t go looking for my phone. I went to find God. I did the same thing the next day and the next day and the day after that. By His grace, I will not stop.

What is God asking you to put down today in order to find Him?

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prayer
Faith

4 Powerful Prayers To Speak Over Yourself And The People Around You

by Abby Marie
written by Abby Marie

We’re instructed to supplicate and to pray about everything (Philippians 4:6). But this can seem frustrating when we don’t even know where to start. We want to pray for others but sometimes we can’t seem to move beyond the typical “please bless so-and-so” and “help so-and-so with such-and-such a thing” prayers that we are so accustomed to, simply because we don’t know how to.

For example, I’ve recently felt the call to pray for our persecuted brethren in the Middle East. But beyond praying for their needs and obvious troubles, I was discouraged when I realized that I didn’t really know how to intercede for them. However, believing that God wanted me to move past my lack and enter into my prayer closet with bold, spiritual requests, I began asking Him to teach me how.

Immediately, He directed me to read the Bible, specifically the Pauline Epistles. Over and over again, I found the requests that Paul had made to God on behalf of the Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, etc. I was stirred in my spirit, knowing that I wanted to pray these same things, not only for others, but for myself as well! I started to pray the scriptures, and it is unbelievable how the Holy Spirit falls so powerfully every time I do. Why?  Because the Holy Spirit inspired the Bible, therefore, those words are His own.

Essentially, we’re praying in the Spirit every time we pray scripture and, as I have found, the more we labor in prayer with His requests, the more He’ll direct our spirits to intercede in greater measures. The Spirit will inspire us to pray for specific yet unknown things, for ourselves and for others, and will give us the words we lack in the very moment.

Here are four prayers to get you started. I’ve written them as though you were praying for yourself, but if you are praying for a certain individual or group, then obviously change the “me” and “I” to their name, or “they”, “them”, “he”, etc.

Paul’s Prayer for the Ephesians (Ephesians 1:16-20):

I pray that You, God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You. That You would enlighten the eyes of my understanding, that I may know the hope of Your calling, the riches of glory of the saint’s inheritance, and what is the exceeding greatness of Your power that You have for us who believe in You, according to the working of Your mighty power, which you worked in Christ.

Paul’s Second Prayer for the Ephesians (Ephesians 3:14-19):

Father, I pray that you would grant me, according to the riches of Your glory, to be strengthened in my inner-man with might by Your Spirit; that You, Jesus, would dwell in my heart by faith, that I, being rooted and grounded in love, would be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, the length, the depth, and the height of Your Love that surpasses all knowledge. That You would fill me with Your fullness, God.

Paul’s Prayer for the Philippians (Philippians 1:9-11):

I pray that the love You have given me would abound even more in all knowledge and judgment; that I may approve the things that are excellent and that I would be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; that I would be filled with the fruits of righteousness that are in Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of You, God.

Paul’s Prayer for the Colossians (Colossians 1:9-12):

Lord, I pray that I would be filled with all wisdom and spiritual understanding in the knowledge of Your will. That I would walk worthy of You in all manner of pleasing, that I be fruitful in every good work, and increase in the knowledge of You. That according to Your glorious power I would be strengthened with all power, in patience, and longsuffering with joy. Thank You, Father, for making me a partaker in the inheritance of the saints in light!

And it doesn’t stop here!

As the Spirit inspires you, take your Bible out and pray those powerful scriptures over yourself, your spouse, your children; over fellow believers, missionaries, pastors, your country’s leader, and whomever else God puts in your heart.

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Faith

Make 2019 Your Year of Spiritual Growth

by Abby Marie
written by Abby Marie

It’s a new year and a new season for spiritual growth. This reminds me how the Lord once told me, “Relationship is low, bring it up.”

After hearing those words, the Holy Spirit immediately caused me to recall a time when I had begun a fitness program and my body had hit a plateau. There was little to no sign of change in my physique, endurance and strength – no matter how many times I exercised, I remained in the same stage for months. I knew the cause of it, though. When it had come time to up my intensity, I had lazily declined. I didn’t want the challenge and sweat – I wanted to continue doing the same easy exercise groups I had grown so accustomed to. I remained in this condition until I finally made the decision to switch up my workout routine and confront my refusal of challenge to reach the goals I had intended to achieve in the beginning.

The Lord convicted me to see that in the same way I had hit a plateau in my fitness program years ago, I had spiritually hit one in my relationship with Him. I had grown lazy and passive in my love for Him, and was merely going through the same daily devotions with Him as though it were a routine. I had adapted myself to a quiet time that had become nothing more than a few words of prayer a day and a quick perusal of the Bible; though they remained beneficial, they weren’t changing me. I wasn’t growing in my commitment and passion with Jesus – I was simply walking around in the same circle!

Spiritual Growth Means Stepping Out

“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.” (Revelations 2:4-5)

As humans, we hate stepping out of our comfort zones. We say, “I will go but only up until this point.” Whether it’s fear of change, lack of confidence in our capabilities, or just plain laziness, we’re often confining ourselves to do what we are used to in many areas of life, and so often, its takes a toil on our relationship with Jesus.

As believers we often get so comfortable in our walk that we neglect to challenge ourselves to go deeper into Jesus with our whole life; we pitch our tent on one spiritual learning ground and settle on one teaching, sometimes forever, never looking up to see that God is eternally calling us higher into His Presence.

I’m not trying to chide anyone but the truth is there is so much of Jesus that we don’t know yet. It’s not that He hasn’t revealed Himself to us or that He hasn’t made His life available to us – we’re simply not going after Him as we ought to. The Christian life only thrives on Jesus Christ, Who is alive today. If we’re not daily pressing to know Him beyond what we do know of Him now, we are only stunting our spiritual growth in Him and cramping His working in our lives.

The Rewards of Spiritual Growth are Matchless

Paul wrote, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)

In the beginning when we gave ourselves to Jesus, we entered into a covenant. We are to be forever climbing higher, diving deeper into His presence. The destination is Heaven, but eternal life is a journey of knowing Jesus Christ.

If His Word is not changing you daily, if you’ve grown passive in your love for Jesus, if your prayers are only dull repetitive sayings and benedictions… you, my friend, are spiritually low.

It’s time to bring your relationship with Him higher – to up your commitment and passion for Him. This could mean turning down distractions or responsibilities that are stealing your time and energy, and putting more attention on the importance of seeking Jesus. Yes, spiritual growth is challenging – it takes sweat and your flesh will have to surrender. But the rewards of His presence are matchless.

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No need to feel hopeless.
Faith

Are You Feeling Hopeless? Here’s How You Can Rise Above It

by Abby Marie
written by Abby Marie

I don’t remember what it was that had me so discouraged that night (for all I know it could have been a bill not getting paid), but I felt so hopeless about life that I closed myself in my room and just began to weep. I couldn’t take it anymore. For hours I prayed, asking God to encourage me – to just tell me something, anything, so that I could see hope despite the dark time I was facing.

All of a sudden, a strange thing happened. Though my eyes were closed, everything began filling with light. I started to see a magnificent valley – all sorts of colors and rich foliage were present. Out of nowhere, and with such swiftness, the Lord passed by me. He laid His hand on my head for a brief moment, and suddenly I heard a Voice say, “Encouragement is God.” The vision ended, just as the gloominess that had accompanied me did.

Hope surged within me; courage and strength broke forth as I pondered my life with a whole new perspective: God was encouragement because He was Awesome. And He was so awesome that if I just looked at Him, I’d find hope in the worst of times.

I think that, like me, most of us believe that until our challenges end, until the promises of God are fulfilled in our lives, our days are not worth waking up for. We are so quick to get discouraged when things don’t turn out the way we’ve expected them to that we wander around in despair until a ray of hope shines through (something that comes through our own doing or that of others).

Yet often, our feelings of hopelessness don’t come from what God has yet to do in our life – it’s because we are (at times unknowingly) neglecting God.

God is our Hope.  It’s not a momentary breakthrough or a complete stop to our daily hardships that will bring continued happiness and purpose to our living: it’s relying on who God is that will get us through.

I think Paul sums this up well when he said, “And we have such trust through Christ toward God.” (2 Corinthians 3:4)

Paul had complete reliance on and total trust in God. And yet by no means did Paul live an easy life. When describing the troubles he experienced in Asia, he stated, “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death.”  (2 Corinthians 1:8-9)

Paul and his companions went through such terrible tribulation in Asia that they felt entirely hopeless about their lives. And yet the same men (continually) rose above such despair: “But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again.” (vs. 9-10)

Paul was literally relying on all that God is to see him through each tribulation! He trusted in Him confidently, and was able to go on when all hope was lost, because he knew God was entirely able to deliver him.

This was his hope – this was his light: God, fully capable of raising the dead, was his encouragement for each trying moment!

God doesn’t want you to feel hopeless

Looking to God is how we’re going to get out of bed each morning; relying on who God is how we will rise above our hopelessness. It’s the simplest method – and yet it’s the most powerful, because God is powerful!

I want you to take a look again at what Paul said, “…this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God” (vs 9).

God puts us through difficult circumstances at times only to make us fully depend on Him. He wants us to believe that it’s not human resources or a temporal pleasure that will bring deliverance to our problems; it’s not a quick fix to a troubling situation that will set us free – it’s Him. We must learn this.

Are you facing discouragement right now? Is there a situation in your life that seems hopeless? Dear friend, don’t despair! Simply look up at your Awesome Lord and realize that if He can raise the dead, He can certainly deliver you from where you are.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.” (Psalm 42:5)

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increase
Faith

3 Ways To Set The Stage For Dramatic Increase In Your Life

by Abby Marie
written by Abby Marie

Do you need a breakthrough in your life? Well, this is your time to see God’s increase in your life. I say this with much confidence in God who gave me this word in a dream. Like me, others in the Body of Christ have been shown that this is a season of breakthrough and increase for God’s people, which is why I boldly declare it to you.

I’ve personally experienced breakthrough recently, both physically and spiritually. It was as though a “shift” happened, unlike anything I have ever known, but being fully persuaded that it was God orchestrating such uncalled for dealings in my life and heart, I pressed into it, only to find myself soaring higher into this “increase” from Him.

I am quite aware that this is only the beginning of my breakthrough – I still have more than a handful of things in my life that have been patiently waiting on the shelf for years, needing dramatic increase from God. Now is the time that God wants to take those things down – to resurrect old promises He’s given to His people, fulfill the dreams He planted in our hearts and set His church on the path in their divine calling from Him. He is going to do this – going to do a dramatic breakthrough in our life … but as He’s shown me, something has to give.

No, I am not saying that God is incapable of bringing breakthrough in certain situations in our life or that He just needs a little help from us to bring increase to our family, ministry, finances, health, and beyond – not at all. I believe that God can no doubt do the impossible for us – He will do it – but we have to do our part.

In Deuteronomy 28, Moses told of blessings that would come upon the people of Israel if they “…diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today.” (Deuteronomy 28:1).

I’ve poured over scriptures and prayed for a long time only to discover that while God wanted to bring my breakthrough, I needed to further set the stage in my life for it to happen.

I want to tell you how to do this, too.

1.Press into God

When Moses saw the angel of the Lord appear in the burning bush, he purposed in his heart that he would turn aside and “see this great sight” (Exodus. 3:3). It was only when the Lord saw that Moses turned aside to look that He called him by name and gave him His commission. Likewise, I tell you, that because your breakthrough is at hand, you are being called to turn aside and press into the thing you are seeing from Him.

Praying in our prayer closet is vital in this hour. Staying close to Jesus and remaining steadfast in Him is our job. God is going to bestow something huge upon His people and we have to be in the right spiritual stance and place to receive it. So press into God – seek to know Him greater in the secret place and rest assured that God’s increase will reign in and throughout your life.

2. Be obedient

I know and have experienced the desperation of situations where God’s divine intervention was crucial; whether it was financial needs, health problems, or family conflict, an impossible miracle was needed. You’re going to get your miracle, your breakthrough – now is the time. But taking a turn to Deuteronomy 28 again, there’s a protocol listed in order for God’s blessings to overtake your life: obedience.

“The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them.” (Deuteronomy 28:12-13).

In order to receive your breakthrough, we need to be cautious that we are being fully obedient to the things God has commanded and called us to do in our life. If there areas in your life where you know you are not giving your full potential for God, then you need to settle yourself deeper into His will and commands to you.

If there is something that is tempting you to compromise His word or a distraction that is stealing you away from His calling for your life, you need to turn away from it and go back to the place He commanded you to be. Set the standard of obedience in your life and watch the extraordinary blessings of God overtake you.

3. Have patience

Breakthrough is here, increase is upon God’s people has come; we need to believe the Lord’s word and trust His timing for it in our own individual life.

For 400 years the Israelites cried out to God for their deliverance. God knew them, heard them, and in His good time, brought their breakthrough through His servant Moses.

“I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey…” (Exodus 3:7-8).

Now is the time for breakthrough – trust in God and have patience for it. I love the example of a farmer who prepares his field for harvest, and yet patiently waits for the rain – a thing only God can do.

“See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient.” (James 5:7-8)

All in all, as you prepare your heart and inner life for God’s harvest just like a farmer prepares for his, remember to have patience.

You will get your breakthrough, your increase, in the name of Jesus!

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Faith

Trusting God At All Times

by Abby Marie
written by Abby Marie

I like reading the Psalms when I’m feeling down. David was so human and expounds on his feelings and thoughts in his writings in such a way that you can’t help but feel like someone is right there with you, understanding your every problem and heartache.

In one of my recent morning quiet times, I was reading Psalm 62 and verse 8 stood out to me.

“Trust in Him at all times.”

The phrase at all times is powerful.

During our lifetime, we’ll journey through many different seasons. There’s going to be lots of highs and probably even more lows in our days. Sometimes you won’t understand what it is that you’re going through. They’ll always be the “why?” moments. There will be times when you feel lost and alone and weak. You’ll experience confusion and doubts. Sadness and unbearable pain will strike you.

In America alone, we are facing tragedy and trauma due to recent weather changes. People are evacuating by the thousands with no promise that their home will be left unscathed by wildfire or hurricane. But heartbreaking as it is, that’s just a few states. Think about the millions of people worldwide who are suffering because of poverty, depression, persecution, family issues, and more. Think about yourself and the private wars you face on a daily basis. It’s hard.

Now why do I speak so realistically about this life? I wish I could write more positively, but the fact is, we’re not going to be happy every moment of the day. And that’s okay. Even Jesus wept (John 11:35).

There’s death in this life. There’s pain and there’s sorrow, be it physical, mental, or emotional.

So, when that time comes where you find yourself in your worst moment, what do you do?

Back to Psalm 62:8.

“Trust in Him at all times.” 

At all times means in every time. Every time that you find yourself going through something hard. Every unexpected calamity. Every awful feeling. Every painful doubt. Every wild torment. Every stressful trial. No matter what the situation is, no matter what the feeling is,  you have the opportunity, and you most certainly have the permission (we sometimes feel like we don’t) to trust in God. “In God is my salvation and my glory;The rock of my strength,And my refuge, is in God.” (vs. 7)

You see, David knew who was watching over him. His God caught every fallen tear and comforted him in his most depressing times. Although there were seasons where David felt afraid, confused, and so broken in the midst of his turmoils, he still searched for his Lord. He never stopped, no matter how bad it got for him.

That same God is our God and He’s at work today in our own lives. You go ahead and trust in God. Your trouble might not flee that very moment, but you can be certain that God will take His loving arms and wrap them so tight around you, shielding you from your pain. 

My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation;He is my defense;I shall not be moved…Trust in Him at all times, you people;Pour out your heart before Him;God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:5-6, 8

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lamb
Faith

The Lamb Told Me to “Come!”

by Abby Marie
written by Abby Marie

I decided to skip lunch hour with my family to rest in my room – an unusual place for me to be at noontime. I walked to my bed, hearing the cackles from the dining room, and laid down. I remember being very content; I had been reading Pilgrim’s Progress that week and being stirred in my soul with love for the Good Shepherd and Celestial City, I began to talk to Jesus. I was in awe at His love and gentleness.

Suddenly, a deep peace came over me. It was the most unusual and yet lovely feeling to experience,  where I could feel and sense nothing but overwhelming tranquility. The more I welcomed it, the deeper it became. My surroundings went dark and the sounds from the dining room went silent. Nothing but this peace was present.

Suddenly, I began to hear the sound of rushing waters. They were calm though, not intense. I began to sense a very forestry atmosphere, though  I couldn’t see anything. I didn’t wonder about it – the peace was just too good. But then a scene came into my view. It was vivid and colorful, and just as I had sensed, like a forest. I caught view of the rivers I had been hearing: they were clear and beautiful. Suddenly, a Voice spoke. It said, “Come.”

I walked a few steps, not knowing who had spoken and yet willing to follow. There was no fear, only peace.

Suddenly, a Lamb came into view. He was far away, laying down on a high rock ahead. The waters came down from that rock, as though it was a waterfall but I only briefly viewed this – my eyes were on that Lamb. I knew who He was, and yet as I was astounded, I wondered if it could really be Him. Again I heard, “Come,” and realized it was the Lamb who was telling me to come. So I did. In a blink of an eye, I was in front of a great Light. Heat rushed through me as the most glorious colors danced before my eyes. It was beautiful.

The light was Jesus, though I could not see Him. He was right there. I couldn’t speak – I was so in awe that the Great Shepherd would come to me. So I praised Him silently in my heart, smiling with tears streaming from my eyes. I was so touched and humbled. This lasted for a long while but I never wanted it to end. But all too soon that I began to hear voices from the dining room. His light in front of me began to fade and I tried to hold unto it. Even though it was intangible, I willed with all that was in me for Him to stay. And then, the Light shone bright again!

I was tickled pink and began to laugh, begging Him not leave. I stayed there, I have not a clue how long. I fell asleep and when I woke up, He was gone. But the peace stayed in my heart. He had said “Come” and I had went, and then He came!

And just like He came to me. He wants to come to YOU! Jesus is calling you today. Wherever you are, whatever you have done, you are invited to come to Him. He has peace, love, and hope waiting for you. Go to Him and He will come to you!

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Heaven
Articles

What Will Heaven Be Like?

by Abby Marie
written by Abby Marie

Heaven is often the comfort we run to when we have experienced the death of a loved one. And it should be, for it is our hope as Christ’s people. Paul even instructed the Thessalonians to “comfort one another” with the hope of seeing the departed saints again (1 Thess. 4:13-18).

But Heaven – and the concept of living there – remains a mystery and it is often misinterpreted by many Christians. For too long we have had this idea that Heaven is a mythical place somewhere “up there,” a place where we will float along, surrounded by puffy clouds, in a perpetual state of mindless, bodiless existence.

I’m not exactly sure where we got this idea from. The Bible doesn’t support it, and yet we have adopted it and it leaves us feeling like Heaven is a pretty dull place. But many people in the Bible – and believers throughout time – have seen visions of God’s Kingdom, visions that tell of its many wonders. While Scripture doesn’t give us too many details, there is enough to give us a blessed glimpse of what our future home will be like and what awaits us there.

Heaven Is a Real Place

While Heaven can’t be seen by the naked eye, it isn’t the fantasy place we imagine it to be. It is real. Just as God created the earth, He created the heavens (Genesis 1:1). Just as His creation can be seen here on earth, Heaven can be seen as well – it is an actual kingdom where angels, saints, and many others live and dwell.

If Jesus said to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matt. 6: 20), then that is only proof that Heaven contains tangible things – things that are better than anything this world could give us.

“For you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven” (Heb. 10: 34).

Heaven Is Not Boring, It Is Glorious

Heaven is not just a giant white space. If we have enjoyed the good blessings that God has given us on earth, how much more will we enjoy and cherish the blessings He has for us in Heaven? It is God’s very own Kingdom!

In fact, God promised that we would rejoice in the things He would make there: “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, and her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people; the voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, nor the voice of crying” (Is. 65: 17-19).

Heaven will be unlike anything that we’ve ever known. Our earthly minds can’t even conceive of how glorious it will be, yet John’s vision gives us a glimpse of it (Revelation 21). God’s city is adorned with precious stones, pearls, streets of gold, and filled with light! Nothing there is defiled or impure; everything is new and perfect. How beautiful is that?

And yet we can’t even fully grasp John’s description. Paul once said, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Cor. 13: 12). We can only comprehend a part of the glory right now, but one day we will see it face to face and know it fully. Isn’t it exciting that there is more that we don’t know yet?

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2: 9).

Heaven: The Best Part

Will we like living in Heaven, the New Jerusalem? There is no doubt about it. Remember the promise Jesus gave His disciples the night He was betrayed? “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2).

We know how wonderful Jesus is, and this same wonderful Jesus is the One who prepared our future home for us. Consider how He numbers the hairs on our heads, how He feeds sparrows and beautifies lilies: I would imagine that this same tender love and care was poured into making Heaven ready for His bride.

Think of all the mansions, the crowns and treasures, and the robes of righteousness that He has promised us. His very hands prepared it all!

Yet that is not even the best part; it is not what will make living in Heaven so awesome. The greatest thing about Heaven – what outweighs all riches and pleasures imaginable – is the fact that God the Father and Jesus Himself dwell there. Everyone who will live in Heaven, the New Jerusalem, will see and serve them face to face.

  • “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14: 3).
  • “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God” (Rev. 21: 3).
  • “And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads” (Rev. 22: 3).

We should never think lowly of our future home, nor should we accept the counterfeit version that the world has painted for us. The fact that God dwells with His people in His kingdom and sees them face to face is enough to tell me that it is going to be wonderful – simply because I know that my God is wonderful, and everything He does is obviously wonderful.

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