Cherish every moment.

Leon has been off of work for almost a week now. It was great having him off but why he was off wasn't so great. In fact it started out as quite a terrifying event.

It happened on Tuesday. (The day after his birthday actually) When Little Evelynne was in the swing while I was managing to get a quick blog post in before she realized I slipped away. When a story slipped in the news feed about a police trainee being shot in the head at practice.. My jaw was dropped. I thought the Police academy was supposed to be a safe place before they were sent out to the not so safe places. I must admit I was a little really worried about my husband considering I heard about a police trainee  being shot in the building he was training in that day and I haven't even heard from him.. Right after reading the news I called him right away and no answer. By this time I just decided to pray and keep myself busy and not letting the enemy plant thoughts in my mind that it was Leon who was shot. About 15 minutes after I got a call from him. (I have never been that quick to answer my phone before) It was my dear Leon with a shaken up  voice  that sounded like he was in a hurry. "Hey sweetheart, Something happened at work. I can't talk but to tell you I won't be home until later. Love you, bye!"  So many questions left unanswered. But that three second call that I received was probably the most relieving call I have ever received in my life. But that whole day I was still shaken up and feeling for the man who was shot and praying who ever it was he was okay. Now I'm sure many of you would have thought "Okay, this man was shot in the head. He's gonna die, no doubt!"  I even found out through other officers that he was dead. But when I found out he was still alive I continued to pray. Leon And I both serve a God that performs miracles every second of the day and I have the faith that this man will live and declare the works of The Lord. And it turns out he is still alive to this day and is healing better and responding daily.

Leon didn't return home until 3:00 Am that morning. He was actually in the same room when his buddy was shot so he had to stand as a witness. He said when it happened and they were taking him away. He brought everyone to the next room and started praying and declaring "Life" into this man. "Breath" he declared and after that the paramedics said "He's breathing" I constant praise and give glory to God for His forever faithfulness.

When Leon came home that morning I greeted him with such a big hug. I guess this is the start of Leon's career as an officer and a police officers wife for me. It was a great reminder to never take my dear husband for granted. To never let a hug be loose, to never let a kiss go unsweetened, and to never let circumstances get in the way of  quality  time or even a simple "I love you" That day will be a reminder to cherish every memory and to enjoy creating them. And most important never leaving your family behind.

 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’  Is 41:10

Thoughts Fear & Fearlessness

Many have the understanding that fear is a normal emotion and fear is a emotion that is completely harmless and okay to have.  And because of that harmful understanding many are held captive by it. Many are deceived.

Scripture tells us plainly that fear is a straight up attack from the enemy himself.  He uses fear as a tool to separate us from our Mighty God. He uses fear to keep us from God's calling, to keep us from chasing our dreams, to be honest in all things, the fear of living the abundant life Christ died to give us, Even the fear to only believe.

The question is my friends, Why is the enemy so desperate to deceiving us into fearing him?
because the day we  realize who we really are in Christ  is the day satan himself becomes fearful of us!
The day we know our identity in Christ, seek His Abundant life, become fearless and stop at nothing,
the day we grow up as Christians and become His Mighty warriors is the day the enemy will fear us!
Because when we know the power of God living in us. He can teach us how to operate in it. And that terrifies him!

As a child I grew up as a very fearful little girl. I feared literally everything! You can read my testimony here.
I was a hostage to fear. A victim because I had no idea who I was in Christ  and I didn't know that I could choose to not have fear.

But this day I REFUSE to be a hostage, a victim to fear. My friend, I hope today you will join me. =)

I am off to a new journey seeking the Abundant life Christ died to give me. to experience and to live the very way Jesus intended me to live and to receive the very plans God has for me, and to live the calling Jesus spoke over my life even before I was born.  As the enemy seeks to whom he may steal, kill, and destroy. My uttermost desire is that I will get to that person before he does. With every doubt and every fear dead in my thoughts.  Who's with me?

Lets go way back in time for a bit to Genesis 3:8-9

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
 Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you? 
So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

Adam and Eve had the abundant life. I mean their biggest hobby was to  walk in the garden with God in the coolness of the evening.  But after they sinned Fear took place and they became afraid of God and hid from Him.

To this day God wants that life with you! He sent His only perfect Son to be crucified  so that He could have that kind of relationship with you. He wants to walk and talk with you in the garden. Are you hiding from Him?  What kind of fear is keeping you from Him today?  Maybe the fear and worry of not getting enough done during the day to take the time to settle down and talk to God? Or the fear of what people may think? Is fear hindering your relationship with God today?

And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” Deut 41:8

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” Deut31:6

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Is 41:10

My Testimony.

Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ 

Isaiah 41:10

Hey lovelies,  so I have been working on going deeper in a study about fear and learning to be more fearless. So, in the future you will probably see more posts on things I have learned. Because of this I have decided to share my own testimony with you about fear and the bondage it had over more life for many years.

Ever since I was little "fear" has always been a huge part of my life. I remember very vividly when I was a young girl my family watched the classic "Wolf Man" in the family living room. I remember being so fearful and hiding under the kitchen table with the fear of the Wolf man coming to get me.  I'm not gonna say that's where the fear started because  honestly I don't know.  But I remember letting fear have power over me through out my entire childhood.

I couldn't even tell you everything I feared with a deep emotion. I was afraid to be in my family basement by myself, to be upstairs by myself, to be outside by myself, to be inside the house by myself. I was even afraid of Male Cashiers. Why? I have no idea. It sounds so silly to me now. But when I was younger it was a serious matter. I would actually wait in the longer line if that meant I would have a girl cashier. 

I would have  to say the biggest fear that had most power over me was the fear of demons. I remember seeing them a few times as a child and dreaming about them as well. It was awful. Before I would go to sleep every night I would put the covers over my head and fall asleep. I thought if I did that they wouldn't be able to see me. 

  

This fear of demons and demon possession got even more intense when I watched a movie called "The Ring" A horror movie about a dead girl who would come out of a TV to kill any one who watched a certain video.

The movie had so much evil in it and I knew that but I was stupid enough to stay for the second one. That night I saw things. I once thought I saw from the side of my eye something come out of my Lord of the rings poster one night.  Watching that movie that one time brought years of mind horror. Even til this day walking past that movie at the store or scenes from it re- entering my brain still brings fear into my mind. But now I know the wisdom that "Fear" is a matter of choice. And Fear is not a strong hold that I am giving into no more!

During my teen years I've not only feared demons, I had the fear of men I didn't know. I didn't like to be around them if I didn't know them, the fear of whether or not Jesus loved me, if I was going to hell, the fear of not pleasing people, the fear of saying "no", the fear of wearing fitted clothing because of my insecurity, the fear of even telling the truth sometimes. You can say I was a pretty messed up kid. Honestly I would agree with you! I was a girl with years of bondage and the sad thing was no one could see it!

 When the truth was revealed.
When I was nineteen and started hanging out with Leon who introduced me to the woman who changed my life in my spirituality Ms Tammie. That was when things began to change. 
God has used her in my life in many more ways than one. 
God has used this Jesus loving, Bible meditating lady to show me the way out of this bondage. Through her, Jesus has shown me that He WANTED to break the chains that was keeping me from Him. He wanted to destroy the fear that has taken place in my heart. I couldn't know the perfect love of Jesus while I still allowed fear to reign  in my heart. That was something I needed to change fast!

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. -1 John 4:8


God has shown me that I don't have to fear. It's not an emotion He gave us and it is not an emotion He planned for us to have. It's an emotion of the world that His child can choose not to have!


For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 
2 Timothy 1:7


He even gave us ways to fight and conquer fear  along with the rest of the enemy's tricks to take our mind off Him. And that is His Spoken word.
People really don't understand and underestimate the power of God's spoken word. He has given us authority in His word and in that we can do all things through Him.

Freedom. Yes, that has to be one of my favorite words! Yes Freedom and Love actually are my favorite. You know, you really can't know what freedom feels like unless you are free. That's why so many people walk the earth believing they're free when everyone else can look at them and see that they are hurting. That was me four years ago. But now I know the true definition of freedom and that it's hidden in Christ for all who desire it. Freedom is a choice. You can choose to seek God for it, you can choose to be fearless, you can choose to live a life with no bondage and you can choose tto live your dream and live the incredible and abundant life Christ died to give you!