Living in Victory

As I was finishing my 6.5 mile run  several weeks ago, my heart was overflowing with gladness for all that the Lord has restored in my life. It was the first time I've run this distance in over five years because of some various injuries and other challenges. While I was running, memories of the marathon and half-marathon I did 13 years ago flooded my mind.

The Lord reminded me of some verses in Joel. I meditated on the fact that God is the One who restores.  I felt indescribable joy as I pondered the thoughts of all that the Lord has given back to me after it was stolen from my life.

I am right on schedule for running a half-marathon in 2013. This half-marathon is so much greater than a running event for me. It's a celebration of how the Lord has restored my life. He healed my broken marriage, fixed my broken finances, healed my sick body, and restored my ability to run.

Realizing and believing that God is the Restorer is what I believe ignites the supernatural power of Christ.

Many times I have been on the verge of seeing restoration in an area in my life and just before the breakthrough occurs, something happens out of the blue to thwart the good plans God has for me. Well, I have figured out that these “out of the blue” happenings are not coincidental. 

The Bible reveals a powerful truth in John 10:10. Jesus said, “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

The thief has worked overtime to rob from me. But with each effort to sabotage God’s good plans, it backfires and Jesus wins every time. 

Hallelujah!

On Thanksgiving Day, my daughter and I ran eight miles as part of our training regimen for the half-marathon we’re running together in January. It was a victorious day for both of us. My twenty-two year old daughter had never run this distance. And I hadn’t run this distance in probably 10 years. We were elated.

On Monday of this week, just as I was about to begin another training run, I jammed my toe into a piece of furniture accidentally because I had moved it temporarily to get something out from behind it and had forgotten to move it back. My little toe crashed right into the chair leg as I was rushing through my house. I landed onto the floor in pain.

I knew what I had done was bad. The level of pain and the immediate swelling proved to me that it was not just a stubbed toe. My mind immediately went to the place of resigning and accepting a long time of healing.

“Well, there goes my half-marathon race,” I thought to myself.  It was exactly nine weeks until my race.  And with the possibility of a broken toe, I knew I wouldn’t be able to train for weeks.

My next thought was one of faith.

I’ll have to trust God.

As the day went on, my toe hurt worse. I iced it, but by eleven p.m. the bruising had spread in between my toes and onto my actual foot. It was purple, red, and swollen and I could feel a small bump on the side of my toe.  It was so bad that my daughter couldn’t look at it.

I looked up images of broken toes on the Internet and saw that the pictures looked very similar to my toe. Everything I read indicated I had a broken toe. The bad news was that it takes six to eight weeks for a broken toe to heal.

I taped my little toe to the toe next to it and thought, "I am not going to have this accident ruin God's good plans for me. I AM going to run this race." And I prayed for a miracle.

I went to bed with peace and asked the Lord to heal my toe.

When I awoke yesterday morning, my toe was still hurting enough for me to limp, but as the day went on I noticed it was getting better. I never took anything for the pain. I have a very high tolerance for pain. I delivered my son with no epidural or any other pain medication other than local anesthesia for the stitches to be put in place. I honestly didn’t think much about my toe yesterday.

Today (two days after the accident) I have absolutely no pain in my toe. It doesn’t hurt to touch it. It doesn’t hurt to wiggle it. I cut the tape off and was astounded to see that the swelling was completely gone and the bruising is significantly better. By tomorrow, I’m sure the discoloration will be gone altogether.

The Lord healed my toe, just like He has healed me from other things in the past.

If I had resigned to the pain I would not be doing my race in January.  As followers of Christ, we can live in victory.

I've seen many fake miracles on T.V. over the years. The Bible clearly tells us that there are counterfeit miracles. 

“The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs, and wonders.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9 (NAS)

But the Bible also tells us that in Jesus Christ there are many real miracles.

And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. Act 6:8 (NAS)

God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. Hebrews 2:4 (NAS)

They did not remember His power, the day when He redeemed them from the adversary…Psalm 78:42 (NAS)

So Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe." John 4:48 (NAS)

 

They performed His wondrous acts among them, And miracles in the land of Ham. Psalm 105:27 (NAS)

God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul… Acts 19:11 (NAS)

…In the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. Romans 15:19 (NAS)

A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. John 6:2 (NAS)

 
And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs. Mark 16:20 (NLT)

Most importantly Jesus said, we would do even greater things than He did.

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." John 14:12 (NIV)

I've never been one to attend healing conferences and miracle services. I've been the one who has stayed at home seeking to know God better through studying my Bible and praying as often as possible. But the closer I get to Christ, the more I see miracles in my life.

When we step up and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ then the non-believers will see the power of Christ working through and in us.

We are called to be the salt and light of the world. Let us go forth as disciples of Christ and walk in faith performing miracles in His name. Let us live in victory so that the doubters will watch and see that Jesus is the Messiah of the world.

Live Abundantly!

Amy

Beauty for Ashes

It was a clear, winter day and I was sitting on the family room floor making valentines. I was 8 years old and didn’t have a care in the world. I was enjoying the moment I was in and safe in the comfort of my home with my mom close by in the kitchen.

That’s the last thing I remember before I heard my mother’s panicked voice hollering out, “It’s a fire!” 

I looked up and there I saw the kitchen curtains engulfed in flames. My mom tried putting the fire out, but her main concern was my safety.

We ran outside to get away from the smoke. A gentleman who had seen the smoke from the post office next door ran over to our house, grabbed a hose, busted a window and put the fire out.

Later on that day, we went back inside to assess the damage. In a matter of minutes, the flames had completely destroyed our kitchen, and the smoke had damaged most of our house. 

We never stayed in that house another day. We packed up our salvageable items and moved in with my grandparents for a few months. My parents made the decision to build a new house a few miles away. It was months before our beautiful, new home was completed.           

My life had been turned upside down by the rampant flames that raged through my house on that winter day. It was difficult to have my life so shaken up, but knowing a beautiful home was being built for my family helped to ease the difficulties. I remember visiting the new home often to see the progress that was being made.

I’ll always remember the day I first saw my completed bedroom with the brand new carpet I picked out myself. It was breathtaking—nothing like my young heart had ever experienced. It was almost more than I could take in at once. It was amazing. After losing my old home and many of the things I had been attached to, the new home was sweetness to my soul.

The new life Christ has given me is much like the new home I moved into after the fire during my childhood. Before I fully surrendered my life to Christ's purposes for me, fiery trials swept through my life and destroyed many things that were important to me. After surrendering everything to Jesus, He rebuilt my life and turned the ashes of my past into a beautiful display of splendor.

I remember times when I wondered if I would ever have beauty in my life again. The stress of a struggling marriage relationship, the tension from strained finances, and not being physically well—it seemed impossible. 

As I wrestled to believe, my faith won and things began turning around for me. Step by step, Christ renewed my marriage, restored our finances, and taught me ways to improve my health. 

When we believe things are hopeless, then we will have a hopeless life. When we teeter on the fence of disbelief, we miss out on the miracles the Bible promises we will see. 

In 2009, I made a commitment to stop doubting God forever. Whenever a doubtful thought taunts me, I meditate on the scriptures to bring life to a worn out and weary spirit. Doubt cannot penetrate a heart that is fixated on the truth of God’s Word.

Christ has good plans to give every person a future filled with hope (Jeremiah 29:11). He is the redeemer and restorer of broken lives.

Are you struggling to believe God for good things? Leave fear and doubt behind and begin believing that Christ is the author of beauty. Surrender it all to Him and watch as He rebuilds and recreates the beautiful life He longs to give all His children. 

Trust Him to give you beauty to replace the pain of your past. He will bestow on you a crown of beauty instead of ashes and He will give you the oil of gladness instead of mourning. He will plant you firmly in His promises to be displayed as a glorious vessel of His magnificent splendor.

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor." Isaiah 61: 1-3

Live Abundantly!

Amy 

This post has been revised from a piece originally written several years ago. The above picture is one of me at the Biltmore House gardens. 

A Prayer for Our Nation

I walked into the voting area and the tension was so thick that it felt tangible. It was last week that I voted to avoid the crowds. The faces I saw were covered with distress and anxiety. Patience is running out for many people as they face the reality of what is happening in America.

Jesus is our only hope. I have complete faith in Christ to restore our nation to a strong, vibrant country. He restored my life beyond my highest expectations. I expect Him to do the same for the United States.

But before the Lord restored my life, He tested my faith. I believe we are headed for a season of testing. But in the end, we will come forth as pure gold.

A Prayer

Father,

We come to You and humbly ask that You keep Your hand on this nation. We are sorry for leaving You out of our decision making so many times. We realize that our country is in danger and we need You desperately to intervene. May we turn away from all that draws us away from Your love and return to You wholeheartedly. Let us rend our hearts and know that You are merciful, compassionate and abounding in love. It is Your desire to see this nation thrive and be restored. Let us rise up and be the nation that You always dreamed we would be. Raise us up into a mighty nation to be a light to a dark world. We ask You to let the man that is best suited to be our President be in office during the upcoming years. We trust You, Lord, to do great and mighty things in this nation. Let us live for You purposefully and passionately. We ask You to protect us from calamity. We love You and place our hope in You. I pray in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

  

Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. ~ Joel 2:13

 But He knows the way that I take when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

 ~ Job 23:10 

Live Abundantly!

Amy 

Free Indeed

I walked into my father’s house and there she sat. My step-mother, Debbie, was in the final stages of cancer. Her frail, weak body made her barely recognizable. She burst into tears when she saw my face. She must have seen the compassion in my eyes. She was not usually emotional. However, that day was different. There was a keen sense of God’s love in the atmosphere.

I sat down next to her and we began to talk. It was just the two of us sitting there soaking in the Presence that filled the room.  I don’t remember much about the conversation. I only remember a deep, intense love in my heart. I asked Debbie if she would like me to pray with her, and she enthusiastically said, “Yes!” I held tight onto her hands and began to pray words of love and protection over her. The fear I had seen in her eyes began to lift and a fresh glow came onto her face.

After spending time chatting and praying together that day, I hugged her tight and said, “Goodbye.” As the door shut behind me, a flood of emotion came into my spirit. I began sobbing tears of compassion for the pain Debbie was feeling. I realized in that moment that I had experienced the greatest miracle of my life—God had set me free from the prison of unforgiveness. 

It was decades before that Debbie had been (in my young mind) the one who had broken up my family. At thirteen years old, my dad had left me and my family to marry Debbie and raise her daughter. Hurt and bitterness plagued me and held me captive for a very long time.

But that day, I rejoiced in the freedom I had found in Christ. I had made the choice to forgive my step-mom many years before she had been diagnosed with cancer. And on this emotional day, the deep love I was expressing to Debbie was the evidence that I was free indeed.

Christ came to earth and died so that we could live and love freely. That day with my step-mom will be forever etched in my mind because I know that it was only through the power of Jesus Christ that a person could love the one who hurt them the most. It was the last time that Debbie was able to communicate with me before she passed away peacefully several weeks later. A number of years have gone by and the love I have for my step-mom is still as strong as it was then.

In Isaiah 61, it says the Lord has anointed us—His followers—to bind up the brokenhearted and to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. How can we help set the captives free? We can start by spreading the message of forgiveness.

Freedom, undoubtedly, is being able to love those who have hurt us and being willing to share the goodness of Christ with every person we come into contact with. There is not a greater prison than the one of bitterness. And I am certain there is no greater freedom than walking in true love and forgiveness.

Live Abundantly!
Amy 

This was originally written in February as a guest post for Ask Wise Counsel. http://askwisecounsel.blogspot.com

The Abundant Life

It was during one of the most difficult seasons of my life that I learned the most about abundant living. My husband had recently been laid off from his job. I was working tirelessly to make ends meet and life was very stressful. I wanted desperately for my circumstances to change.

While battling hardships and trials, I was wondering why everything that had brought me security had been lost. I sought the Lord for answers, and He diligently answered me. He led me to a scripture in the Old Testament that jumped off the pages when I read it. Deuteronomy 30:6 says, “The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love Him with all your heart, and with all your soul, and LIVE.”

In these verses, I found the answer to what my heart longed to know. The word "circumcise" is derived from a Latin word meaning, to cut. In the midst of excruciating trials, it felt like my heart was being circumcised. God was cutting away the things in my heart that were hindering me from fully loving Him and fully living life. The process was far from easy. At times it was excessively painful. But ultimately it led me to a full, abundant life.

Everyone wants to live abundantly. John 10:10 says that Jesus came to give us life, and to give it more abundantly. Yet, how many people truly tap into the abundant life that Christ offers? Could it be the way we view our lives, or what we equate happiness with? For years, my thoughts of the good life were completely intertwined with the external circumstances in life—having a good income, having constant harmony in my relationships, and being able to  do the things I love doing.

For a season, I only sought abundance in the external joys of life. But in God's infinite grace, He took me through a season of testing because He wanted to give me true life—the life Jesus promises to everyone. It was in the dark times that I found His greatest treasures.

Are you in the midst of being pulled and stretched? Do you feel as though life is caving in around you? To be rebuilt, a house needs to be torn down first. It can be an excruciating process. Do not lose heart. God is building a beautiful house out of your life. He uses every loss and every struggle for our good. Nothing He allows in our lives is in vain. He uses it all.

The struggles I experienced many years ago are the very substance of the good things in my life today. The things that were the hardest to endure are what led me to the abundant life in Christ. 

Through the hardships, God gave me a new heart—a heart more like His, one that rejoices because of His love. There is nothing that compares to His great love. It’s worth it all.

It really should be pure joy to face trials because we know that no matter what is happening Jesus is walking along side us, carrying us, allowing us to bask in His love at all times and in all circumstances.

Jesus is everything. When we know this, then we know that anything else in life is the icing on the cake.  
  
...I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.  ~ John 10:10 (NAS) 

Live Abundantly!

Amy 

This post has been revised and was originally written in 2008.