Focus- Being still to KNOW He is God.

"Be still and know that I am God."- Psalm 46:10

This is a great verse that is hugely overlooked.  How often do we make the time to truly sit, be quiet, clear our minds and thoughts, and really KNOW He is God.

Silence seems to scare us these days.  We feel as if we are wasting time, not being productive enough.  It even can feel awkward.  Yet that is the whole point!  We must Stop!  Be still.  Wait.  Let the Lord Almighty show up in our life and speak to us in that sweet, still, small voice that we have seemed to have forgotten.

Let us take some time to focus our minds and truly dwell on the thought that He is God.  Think about who He is, what He has done, what He is doing, and then thank Him for it.

Is it possible our state of mind and attitude could change for the better if we do this?  Could our perspective of life and our current situation get better?  Could we find some hope in the fact that he is God and is in control?

Only one way to find out.  And, really- what do we have to lose if not maybe 5 minutes of our day?

Let's try it:

Be Still- Know that He is God...............

Sitting and Waiting.

This past Sunday at River Oaks was absolutely incredible!  I was floored amazed by how good our God is!  How faithful He is.  But, most importantly, how much He truly desires to simply be with us!  Let me explain a little more.

The Lord has been challenging me to simply sit and be with Him in quiet, intimate moments of my life.  And honestly, the challenge has been finding and making the time.  I was challenged by this video from Kari Jobe teaching on worship:

Sunday morning, our team came in, set up our equipment, but we were dragging a little.  Some of us had very few hours of sleep, just from life etc.  I could sense a lack of energy, yet still a longing for excitement and expectation for the Lord to do what He always does: show up- and in a an incredible way.

But, we were missing something. 

We fell a little behind with set up, but I really felt the Lord pressing on me to practice sitting and waiting in His presence as a team.  So, I shared a little bit about what the Lord had been showing me.  Then, we took just a few short minutes (2-3) and prayed, asking the Lord to speak to us, fill us, meet with us, etc.  Then, we simply waited.  No talking.  No praying.  Not even singing.  We waited for the Lord individually and as a group.  I could hear several members of the team whispering things under their breath to the Lord.  I don't know what they were saying.  I was simply caught up in expressing my own desires to Him, then listening for what He had to say, I didn't care about what anybody else was doing or thinking.  All I wanted was to be with Him in those few, short minutes.  We ended with a chorus to a song and then we were done.

Like I said, it wasn't very long.  But after we wrapped up our waiting session we proceeded to practice the first song: and the Lord fell on each player of the team!  It was one of the most beautiful practices I have ever seen on a worship team.  We simply worshipped!

Sure, we had a few kinks to work out and had to retry a couple of songs.  But it was not at all like a normal practice.  Each song seemed to have it's own life to it.  Each team member had such a confidence about them, and had so much to offer.  It was like every player or singer transformed their "playing" into "creating" the music.  This took worship to a whole new level!  Not only the worship, but the whole service: from the message, to the special music, even to lunch afterward was awesome!  Over all it was a great Sunday!

Several of us agreed that we are going to start making this a regular thing.  Every Sunday morning before we start practice, we will take time as a team to not only pray, but to sit, seek and wait for the Lord Himself to come, speak and empower us.  

It was a Sunday unlike anything I have seen.  Not only am I challenged as a leader to make time for this practice with my worship team, but also for me personally.  I would challenge you, whoever is reading this, to do the same.  Just sit with Him!  Wait and see what the Lord is going to do.  I am willing to bet that it will blow your mind and will exceed your expectations!  He certainly did this past week!  I certainly can't wait for next Sunday!

"Be STILL AND KNOW that I am God!"- Psalm 46:10

Two Years....

  It has been two years since I left YWAM and returned to Saint Augustine.  What a crazy adjustment it has been.

  When I first got back, I was bitter, angry and confused.  I was in a place of giving up, frustrated and unfocused.  I was disappointed in myself because I felt like I had failed in my calling.  I questioned the voice of the Lord in my life.  I felt like the only voices I heard were doubt and unbelief.  I compared to myself to other people and wrapped my identity in how I measured up.  The only thing I looked forward to was going out on the weekends, drinking my emotions and trying to escape what I thought was my future.

  When plans change, and the outcome looks completely opposite of what was envisioned, it is easy to get lost.  It is easy to distract yourself- to tell yourself the outcome will be the present circumstance and that it won't change.  It is easy to listen to the lies that Satan plants in your head.

DON'T LET HIM!  The past two years have proved to look very different for me than what I originally planned or anticipated since first starting YWAM.  But I have realized it has not been for the worst.

  I have made mistakes.  I have let sin get the best of me.  I have let my emotions take control.  I have chosen poorly many times.  All of this because things weren't turning out the way I expected.  But, God is a gracious and merciful God!

  Romans 11:28-36 gives us a glimpse of how God's ways are higher than ours.  His plan is hard to comprehend, yet "He works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose."(Romans 8:28) "His call is irrevocable." (Romans 11:19)

  We must claim Philippians 1:6 which states that "He who began a good work in us, will continue that work until the day of Christ!"  He will NEVER stop working in us!  And praise Him that He won't!

  Over the past two years, I have had to deal with a lot of personal things in my life that prevented me from living in the promise God gave me.  It hurts to go through the process of healing.  But it is good!  Being a worship leader at River Oaks Community Church and partnering several different worship ministries have proven to be quite rewarding and fulfilling.  Even before that, I had the privilege of starting a live music ministry team from the ground up at a church which had been worshipping to Youtube videos for years before.  That church is now growing.  The Lord has expanded my ministry and sphere of influence beyond the church body, into my workplace, and the places I visit on a regular basis.

  I realized that, as passionate as I am about traveling and international missions, I have a mission field right here in my own town- my own workplace, my family and my circle of friends.  God is using me in ways I didn't expect.  And I am thankful for those moments.

  For those of you who are finding out that maybe life and the dream God has planted in you are not turning out how you expected- PLEASE do not give up.  He has a plan.  It is good.  He invites us to persevere and be a part of it.