Our only job is to love

Just this morning a simple, almost natural headline read, "mother stabs 3 daughters to death." 

As I read through the article, I was memorized by the acceptance and justification of such an act. The world is immune to terror. Fear, depression, insanity, outrage, and murder have become commonplace. 

Why? 

The world no longer feels or experiences the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Their hearts have become as stone. 

Why? 

Their lives have been void of love. 

Love is the fertile soil that nurtures a normal human being. Without love there cannot be normalcy of emotion and expression. 

Our hearts are gardens and must be tended regularly by the one who created it. 

Bitter roots, judgements, vows, seeds of unforgiveness all need to be weeded out. Without such care, the garden can no longer produce fruits of love, joy, peace, forgiveness or simple acts of kindness. 

While we were mere children, we were given natural mothers and fathers to tend our hearts' gardens but the wounds of the parents hindered the love the children deserved. Rather than sowing seeds of love and forgiveness, most have sown their own seeds of hatred, self-righteousness, bigotry, unforgiveness and bitterness right into the innocent youngsters' hearts. The parents are completely unaware of this transfer. It's an evil cycle. 

But it's not to late for this cycle of destruction to be broken. 

The solution is LOVE, Agape LOVE. 

As Christians, this is our only calling. We also know that our natural love will not suffice, we must love with the supernatural, unconditional love of the Father. 

Our job is not to convict, convince or judge. 

Our ONLY responsibility is to LOVE. 

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunesso that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in you." John 15:1-4

It is hard to love the mother who so ruthlessly stabbed her 3 innocent daughters. It is nearly impossible to love the man who has raped and murdered countless young women. It is beyond natural ability to love the man who has stolen the innocence of young children and exposed them to others through pictures and videos. 

Yet, if we want to see an end to it all, the only answer is LOVE. 

We love because Christ first loved us. 

We are in Christ and He is in us. We are intertwined in His vine. We cannot be separated from His love. 

We were not designed to hoarde his Love. We were designed to release it to the dying, hurting world around us. 

Christ died so that ALL should live. 

When Christ gave Himself up for the world, He took ALL the judgement that day. He took it so that the world could experience freedom from darkness and unconditional love without condemnation or judgment. 

Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world (satan) will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

John 12:30-33

The only way the world can experience Christ is through us! 

This is the year for Victory over Death. 

This is the year for God's manifested Love to be revealed on this earth through us, His earthen vessels. 

The greater we love, the greater victory we will win. 

Let's join together to put an end to this madness. 

Make a commitment that if left up to you, "none will taste death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." Matthew 16:28 

So that His Kingdom may come on this earth the same as it is in Heaven!! 

"If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”John 12:47-50

Judge not, lest though be judged

Morning came early today. 

I stood in the kitchen making my cup of coffee when all of a sudden, I knocked the entire cup over on its side. 

I can't remember the last time I spilled a drink? 

After much cleaning and preparing my new cup I headed down the hallway back to my room to study. When I pushed open the bedroom door, it rebounded, hitting my coffee cup and spilling over half the cup on the floor! 

What the?? 

I stood staring at the floor in confusion when I suddenly remembered something from yesterday. 

I made a snide comment to my husband about how he spills coffee down the kitchen counter every morning.

Seems silly doesn't it? 

How could these two events be connected? 

Let me explain: 

We really don't understand this word of advice: "judge not lest thou be judged!"

The New Living Translation says it like this: 

"Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others.The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.

“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eyewhen you have a log in your own?" Matthew 7:1-3

This wisdom was given to us to help us, not hurt us. It protects us from the universal law of sowing and reaping or as some like to say, karma. 

The words of our mouth are just as powerful as our actions. So we don't necessarily have to "do" something to someone to reap negative consequences. Our words and judgments will inevitably come back to haunt us, we just don't always know when....

My judgement came back rather quickly because I've been asking The Lord to help reveal these judgements to me. 

I want more! I want more responsibility. I want more power behind my words. I want more protection from the darkness. In order to receive more, sometimes we have to give more. 

In God's kingdom, all He asks is that we give more of ourselves and give up more of our control. The more we allow Him to do, the more we will see Him manifest. 

Then I was reminded of another realization from yesterday. I was walking the dogs through my neighborhood we happened upon the cutest fat chihuahua.

I sort of panicked when I couldn't determine if I should say "hey sweetheart!"or "how ya doin buddy?" 

I didn't want to insult him/her. 

Most of my life, I have been able to look at an animal and determine whether it was masculine or feminine but I lost that gift some time ago. 

Again, this may seem silly but some times the little things teach us the greatest lessons. 

As I walked past I remembered a judgment I made a few years back. 

My ex-boyfriend, also a veterinarian, had little concern for understanding the gender of animals and it drove me absolutely insane to hear him call the "she's" "he's" and vice versa. In his words, he said "all cats were female and all dogs were male!!"

"How ludicrous!" I remember how irritated I was that one day. I had just had enough and again I made a snide remark likely using a few choice  words about him being ignorant or what have you... 

Unknowingly, to this day, that judgement had affected my ability to properly determine an animal's gender by mere visual assessment. 

So what did I do to correct this? 

What can you do if this happens? 

Simply, ask God to forgive you. 

God told us in His Word the importance of putting a watch over our mouth. 

"Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips." Psalm 141:3

Why? For our protection.

But also, so we can be trusted with more. 

And I am asking for more! 

"For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." Luke 12:48

I want my words to bring forth good fruit. I want my words to carry power. 

I want more wisdom and understanding. 

I want to see healing and miracles take place when I speak forth God's Word. 

The Lord cannot entrust us with more if we can't be trusted with what we already have....

So if you desire more, 

Ask and it shall be given. 

But don't complain when it comes in a way you didn't expect. 

All warriors must be trained. 

Suit up and get ready. 

The time is here. 

We need people who are ready for change and those who can be trained, 

So that God's will to be done on this earth the same as it is in heaven. 

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it, will eat it's fruit." Proverbs 18:21

"You have turned my morning into dancing; you have put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, to the end that MY TONGUE and my heart and everything glorious within me may sing praise to You and not be silent. 

O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever." Psalm 31:12 AMP

The battle is on

In case you haven't read my post "Cupid's hardened heart", now would be a good time. 

We need to wake up and accept we are in the midst of a battle. 

When the latest trend in jewelry represents the enemy 's definition of love and desire, we have to realize the seriousness of the times. 

There are only two forces at war with us at all times. We are seeing the manifestation of these two now. 

Agape love      vs      Eros love 

Selfless love     vs     Selfish love

Sheep              vs     Goats

Light                vs      Dark

This symbol of Eros, represents the strongest sense of self and selfishness. It's love is toxic and unsatisfying. The lie is subtle and the end result is always self-destruction. 

The symbol of a serpent turning back and eating itself represents the ultimate goal, the pattern of self-destruction. 

Believe me, I know. 

I lived it. 

I escaped it's narrow grip only by the grace and mercy of my God!!

This is not alright. This is not a fashion statement. 

This is deception.

The Heavenly Father's only command is for us to love Him and our neighbor. 

Eros entices us to do just the opposite. 

Selfishness devours all Agape love. 

Eros represents selfish love. 

Eros leads us farther and farther away from the love of our Heavenly Father and His command to love others. 

Eros makes self número uno. 

Eros is the kind of love that devours, it pursues, it destroys, it is relentless. It's ultimate desire is death and damnation. 

However, as followers of the Agape road, the road that leads to our Heavenly Father, we know the beginning from the end, we know which side wins. 

It is the world who needs to hear. 

"Don't be deceived, God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. If He sows to his flesh (Eros love) he will of the flesh reap corruption, 

BUT, if he sows to The Spirit (Agape love) he will of The Spirit, reap life everlasting."

Galatians 6:7-8

Please share this word. The world is deceived. They are blind. They need our guidance. Don't be afraid. This is real and YOU can be the change we need to see in this world! 

Lord, may Your Kingdom come so Your will be done on this earth as it in heaven! 

The wound of abadonment

It was a typical knock down drag out kind of weekend. There was nothing like finishing a 4 night emergency shift rotation with a huge blow to the head.
As my boyfriend stormed out the door, I rushed behind him to dismantle the lock. I did NOT want him to come back!
Or did I?
I fumbled with the dead bolt trying to still my shaking hands long enough to thread the screws through the tiny holes, and then, he busted back through the door.
"Trying to change the lock? A whole lot of good that's going to do you. I'll just come through the kitchen window!"
Duh...I had completely forgotten about the window we had not replaced. It had been missing since the last fight where he "accidentally" shoved me through it.
This was it.
No more.

I sat on the floor crying as he grabbed a few things and left again. I knew he would be gone for the night. I should have been relieved,
but I wasn't.
Regardless of the torment of that relationship, the hurtful words, the angry assaults, I still craved the attention. As odd as it may seem to some, to others, any affection is better than none.
At the time I didn't know I harbored wounds of abandonment and rejection. I didn't know that I craved love, regardless of how harmful it may have been.

The continued pattern of abandonment during those difficult times watered those seeds that had taken root.
And sadly enough, those deep rooted hurts continue to produce fruit until they are removed. 

We unknowingly attract the same behaviors that created the wound in the first place.
Just think, like attracts like.
Most of us at some point in our life have experienced these wounds, unknowingly they take root in our soul and surprise us at the most inopportune time.
My wounds were showing up everywhere.
That night I waited and cried and waited and cried.
Although that memory is over 10 years old, I still remember the vinyl that played over and over on the record player. Lying there, all alone, I longed for the very person who inflicted the wounds to comfort me.
Then at the first rays of the sun, I crawled to my bed and fell asleep delirious and tormented.

I haven't thought of that memory in a long time.
But today as I was interceding for another miracle, another breakthrough, I could feel the exhaustion in my eyes, my mind, my heart, even down into my bones. I was in a weakened state. I just couldn't STAND anymore. I had done all I knew to do and well, it just seemed this time it just wasn't going to happen.
As I stood silently before the Lord I said, "Father, I know it's not you. I know the hold up isn't on your end. What's going on? Please show me!"
That's when the memory came to the forefront of my mind.
In the difficult situations of life, it's easy to give up if you've been wounded by abandonment. We think no one wants to go through this with us. We are used to being left alone during the difficult times, right in the middle of battle. We are accustomed to being abandoned.
Somewhere in the back of our mind, in the deep confines of our heart, we think that God will abandon us also.
This thought breeds loneliness, and honestly, loneliness can be comforting, especially if you've spent a large part of your life "going at it alone."
We think we are being chivalrous, brave, courageous. We turn into the hard hearted general, the colonel and decide we've had enough. It's time to call the shots and move on.
Really?
If our example is Christ, we have to understand that He never had enough.
We have to think of Paul and what he said, " Christ was made perfect in his weakness."
When we can't carry the care anymore, Jesus said to give it to Him.
When we think the Father has abandoned us, we have to remember what He said in His Word,
"I will never leave or forsake you."
God is not a man that He should lie.
"Our thoughts are not His thoughts, nor our ways, His ways."
We are human.
We base spiritual laws and principles on our failed human experiences.
BUT,
It's time for God's kingdom to come.
It's time for God's will to be done on this earth, as it is in heaven.
It's time we learn a new way of living.
It's time we learn to lean on the Father.
It's time we deal with our dirty roots of abandonment and rejection.
It's time we deal with the shame that those roots have produced.
It's time we STAND.
It's time we HOLD FAST.
It's time we THANK JESUS for the gift He gave us through His sacrifice.
It's time we live the ABUNDANT life He died to give us.
It's time we DON'T give up on God, for He will never give up on us.

"For this God is our God for ever and ever;

he will be our guide even to the end." Psalm 48:14

Cupid's hardened heart

Ever wonder why God permitted evil?

Today in my reading,  I came across the most plausible reason. Bob Mumford author of "Journey to the Father on the Agape Road" says, 

"Perhaps God wanted to be wanted. Love that is not based on preferential choice is not love at all- it is bought and sold, and God will not be bought. This is why salvation is a free gift; it can never be  bought with good works." 

When we truly open our hearts to love the Father, when we return the love, we are merely reflecting His love for us. 

He is love. 

When we allow His love to penetrate our hearts, we absorb it and then reflect it back to Him and the world around us. 

It sounds so simple.

Just open our hearts. 

But when you think about opening your heart to anyone, what comes to mind? 

Past hurts, regrets, resentments, dis-trust, wounds of all kinds?

These inflicting wounds damage our heart and the repetive nature of the wounding over time makes us calloused. 

This callous heart becomes hardened. 

A hardened heart cannot receive love. 

In order to open our hearts again to be loved we must understand the difference in the love that we've known and The love God wants to give. 

We have been wounded by Eros love. 

Eros is a Greek word who's meaning is: intention to possess, acquire or control. It does not seek to be accepted by its object but rather aims to possess it. 

This the Greek symbol for Eros. 

This is a highly refined form of self-seeking and self-interest. 

It is a love who's only goal is to satisfy itself. 

This type of love will chew you up and spit you out. 

This type of love is the kind that wounds the heart. 

This is the type of love that lashes back at your when you injure it or reject it. 

This type of love is the only kind most of us have ever known. 

This type of love is conditional. 

This type of love is human in nature. 

Most of us identify with this type of Eros love. 

We identify with this type of love because it is self-centered. 

We don't even know that all the conditions are centered around "yours truly." 

When we love by Eros we are loving based on our interests and our intentions This is selfish love. 

When we refuse love by Eros, we are refusing based on protection and the guarding of our heart, self-preservation. 

Again, self-centered refusal of love. 

Eros love will undoubtedly consume itself either through: 

1) isolation - building walls, hardening the heart 

2) destruction through its desire to gain control or possess another. 

Lust, greed, gluttony will all lead to self-destruction. 

Eros is prevalent everywhere. It is even present within the church. 

Eros simply says, I will love or do for you when I know you can love or do something for me. 

Many people unintentionally love God this way. 

This love says, "I love God for what He can do for me or through me." 

It is so simple to love this way because it is all we've ever known. 

We have learned by example to love this way. 

But, 

There is a better way to love, an easier way to love. 

Agape love is the love of our Heavenly Father. 

God is love. 

God is Agape. 

Jesus' sacrifice is the best example we have of Agape. 

A self-less sacrifice as an ultimate expression of this Agape love of the Father. 

Agape love does not have to strive or plot or scheme. 

Agape is just received, absorbed and reflected back to the Father and the world around us. 

It is a beautiful expression of who God is. 

It is simple. 

It says, "I love, because you first loved me." 

Take a moment and ask God to open up your heart in a way like you've never known so you can experience all His love for you. 

Ask Him to send His heavenly love to earth, into you and through you. 

Through this love, His will be done on this earth as it is in heaven. 

Many are the woes of the wicked,

but the LORD’s unfailing love

surrounds the one who trusts in him. -Psalms 32:11

Ablaze with His love

God makes the opportunity for the man who is ready. 

If we are determined to bring change to this dying world, we need to set ourselves on fire. We need to be ablaze with the Love of God. Only love- a wave of His life to send forth until others feel His love and are also kindled into a flame of grace. 

We are to be flames - the very essence of the Word- the life of Jesus. Jesus is life and the Holy Ghost is the breath, and He breathes through us the life of the Son of God, and we give it to others and it gives life everywhere! -Wigglesworth

 We must be aflame with the agape love of the Father, self-less love. 

God is love. God is Agape. 1 John 4:8

The Nature of Agape:

Love for the neighbor is love for him in all his strange, irritating, distinct createdness..

Love is eternal, leveling righteousness because it justifies no man according to his desire.

Love edifies the fellowship because it seeks fellowship only. 

Love expects nothing, because it has already reached the goal. 

Love does not intend, because it has already done. 

Love asks no questions, it already knows. 

Love does not fight, it is already the victor. 

Love is not Eros, that lusteth ever, it is Agape that never faileth!  -Karl Barth

Agape is personified in the nature of Jesus. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love 

never gives up. 

cares more for others than for self. 

doesn't want what it doesn't have. 

doesn't strut. 

doesn't have a swelled head. 

doesn't force itself on others. 

isn't always "me first."

doesn't fly off the handle. 

doesn't keep score of the sins of others. 

doesn't revel when others grovel. 

takes pleasure in the flowering truth. 

puts up with anything. 

trusts God always. 

always looks for the best. 

never looks back. 

keeps going to the end. 

Love never dies!!

Jesus has come for one purpose, that He might so be made manifest in us that the world shall see Him, and we must be burning and shining lights to reflect such a holy Jesus. - Wigglesworth 

Lord, let us be flames of your love for all the world to see so that your kingdom comes and your will be done on this earth as it is in Heaven. 

Really God, WHERE are you now?

I peeled my cheek off the rug as if it were velcro.
The long hours of weeping had burned my dry skin.
This was not the first time I curled up in a fetal position in the middle of the bedroom floor, begging for an end to it all, begging for an answer.
In between my sobs and shortness of breath, I clung to my chest crying out to God,
"Where are you?"
"Can't you see? I'm on the floor, I'm on my knees...What do you want from me?"
"I can't go on like this...Can't you hear me?"
"I need you NOW!!"
"Where ARE you?"

 

Looking back, I can say that my most trying times have brought the greatest rewards.
Each time I thought I was at the end, the light would begin to work its way into the cracks of my thoughts and remind me of one thing...

I know exactly where God is...
I am the one who is lost.

If God never leaves us or forsakes us, why is He so silent?

When our prayers don't come to fruition, we have to understand, the hold up is never on God's end. 

No.
God said, "My people perish for lack of knowledge."  Hosea 4:6

There is a method to this madness that religion has tried to mask into the phrase,
"It must not be God's will?" 

Gods will is always heaven on earth.
God's will is always wholeness. 

God's will is always life. 

God's will is always blessings of  love, joy, peace, health and prosperity. 

When did we become so high minded that we thought we could just go about life in our own way and expect supernatural results and miraculous manifestations? 

We are human. We are natural beings living in a supernatural system. 

This system has a very unique design. If you want the most out of this life, you have to learn the language.
It's the same as learning a foreign language prior to travel.
Or a computer programmer learning the language of technology.
Or a doctor who must learn the language of medicine.

When God created man, He designed him for companionship.
Man was designed to remain clothed in His glory, in perfect communion with the Creator.
He placed him in the Garden of Eden, so he would never be in need or want. 

God designed us as Tri-part beings -
Spirit, 

Soul (mind, will, emotions) and 

Body.

Prior to the fall of man, emotions were non-existent, man was completely satisfied, fulfilled, clothed only by God's glory.

It wasn't until the enemy moved into the garden, that man began to question his existence. 

The enemy went straight for man's trust in His father's love. He aimed to weaken this bond between father and son. 

The enemy knew he just needed to inject a thought of doubt and insecurity and the rest would be history. 

Once man succumbed to the enemy's plan, 

doubt filled his thoughts, 

fear overtook him, and

he made a decision that caused him to question his Father's love. 

Doubt breeds fear. 

Fear blocks faith. 

This pattern severs our connection with the Father. 

Why? 

Without trust, 

we cannot understand His love. 

If we don't have confidence in His love, we cannot trust Him. 

"Cast not away your confidence..." Hebrews 10:35

Our God is love. 

If we don't believe in His love, then we render Him powerless in our lives. 

We won't be able to receive from Him. 

In order to receive 

we must believe. 

"..we must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

Since this is always the enemy's point of contact, 

Isn't it time we become privy to his tactics?  

If He can cause us to think that maybe, just maybe, our Father doesn't love us, then he can fill our heads with all sorts of fears and doubts. 

This was pattern of the first Spiritual death. 

Once the "love" connection to the Father was severed, 

the mind gained control, 

fear overtook the spirit of faith. 

 

Man said, " I heard you in the garden, and I was AFRAID....  Genesis 3:10 NIV

 

Man's spirit lost it's divine communion with God's spirit. 

 

"God is spirit. 

All who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." John 4:24

Over these thousands of years, through the evolution of time, head knowledge has gradually gained more recognition while spiritual revelation has been declared mystical or blasphemous. 

This is the enemy's plan to keep God's people ignorant of the system's design. 

In the world's system: 

Fear over powers faith. 

And hate hates LOVE. 

Trust is a "thing" of the past. 

But it's time to take it back!

It's time to be in the world but not of it. 

It's time to bring heaven to this earth. 

It's time for God's kingdom to come and His will be done on this earth as it is in heaven. 

It's time to step back into the glory realm of our Creator. 

It's time for faith to defeat fear and

Love to love hate away and 

trust to become us.

 

How is this supernatural existence accomplished? 

We have to get 

out of our heads and 

Out of our minds, 

literally.  

Our Father doesn't communicate through head knowledge. 

He communicates through our hearts, through our spirits with Rhema or His revealed word. 

Our Father communicates through love. 

He is love!

If God was moved by our emotions, rather than faith, the enemy would be in control, NOT GOD.
Our mind controls our emotions. 

The enemy's play ground is our mind and he loves to toil with our emotions.
Our emotions are subject to change.
Our emotions react and respond to our circumstances- CONSTANTLY!

In the tri-part being, Spirit, Soul (mind, will, emotions) and Body, we were not designed to be ruled by our emotions. We were designed to be ruled by our Spirit, by faith in our Creator. 

Trusting in His 

divine 

unconditional 

unfailing 

love. 

We have allowed human nature far too much power, we have paid very little attention to our spirits, and we've paid the price by letting our emotions get the best of us.

But God is NOT ruled by emotions, He is Spirit.

If we want this kingdom to come, 

it is us who must change, 

not God!

We were created to be ruled by our Spirit, not our emotions, and it's time we start acting like it. 

Emotions are unstable and unreliable. 

God's Word says that a person driven by emotions will not receive anything good from The Lord. 

"But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 

That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 

Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do." James 1:6-8 NIV

We have to look at it this way:
If God was moved by OUR emotions, then that would mean we could control His response through our emotions. 

Our emotions are flippant. One minute we can be happy, another sad, another angry. Imagine if we had to respond to everyone on this earth every time they experienced emotions of panic or desperation? 

God created a language for His people, those who truly love Him, those who study His word, those who seek to commune with Him and those who are in covenant with Him. 

That secret language is the language of Faith. 

When we communicate to our God through faith, we are coming to Him ready to trust, 

ready to receive. 

We believe 

in His love. 

This is how we get our needs met. 

This is how we receive our healing. 

This is how we grow strong in The Lord and the power of His might. 

This is how we gain wisdom and understanding. 

This is how His will is done on this earth as it is in heaven.

"Without faith it is impossible to please God..." Hebrews 11:6

Will you believe 

In His love? 

Will you receive 

His love?

Will you speak God's language of faith?

Will you get out of your head?

And into your heart,
God's heart. 

This is the way His kingdom will come, and

His will be done, 

on this earth as it is in heaven. 

"Three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

 

A piece of the puzzle

"Two roads diverged in the wood and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." Robert Frost

I have always enjoyed taking the road less traveled by and it truly has made all the difference. 

I arrived with the desire to go against the flow, to swim upstream, to avoid the mass of influence. 

Naturally we are all engrained with this individuality and originality, each with our unique passions. But, when nurture inhibits nature from blossoming, we get stuck in The Box of society, slowly molding to fit its wants and desires. 

This Box breeds self-consciousness and insecurities and inhibits healthy individual development. It becomes comfortable and safe to blend in, to mold, to yield. 

Growing up I remember hearing the phrase "you can be anything you want to be!" 

The phrase catapulted high schoolers into college. 

This opened the door, gave an easy access to a once sought after, but now required college education. Higher education was no longer for the passionate and creative types, but rather it was forced upon everyone, whether they longed for it or not. This special education comes with a secret price tag that will be unveiled on the day of that grandiose day called "graduation".  

I'm in no way disagreeing with the benefits of education, as I myself could spend all my days learning. 

However, I am disagreeing with the phrase, 

"You can be anything you WANT to be."

Putting this sort of ball in a young persons court can be a bit overwhelming. 

And while living under the influences of a consumeristic society driven by success and financial prosperity, which do you think this young person might choose? 

Their dream? Or

A big salary?

There is a huge difference in a Calling and a Career. 

A Calling comes through following our dreams and passions instilled in us by the Creator. 

A Career comes through working to pay off the forced college debt or perhaps falling into the factory mold of The Box, the fastest way to the new car and/or new house. 

At one time, before our time, the majority of society planned their futures around their passions and talents. Sometimes these followed the footsteps of a parent or grandparent but often times, not. Their decisions came naturally, and were not influenced by the hype of the times. 

I have read a few books that discuss the importance of listening to our children. Most children between ages 3-5 yrs. will tell you what they were created to do. 

There are many beliefs as to how or why they do this, but I believe it's because they are still fresh from the Creator's heart. They are still imprinted with His design for their life.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

I still think it's odd to hear my parents tell me that I said I wanted to be a veterinarian when I was 3 years old. Where on earth did I get that? 

I didn't have a close relative in the field. 

I just knew I loved animals. 

Throughout the years that followed, I found a phrase that I swore I would always live by:

"Do what you love and love what you do!" 

Now wouldn't this world be a much happier place if people lived their lives according to this phrase,

"Do what you love and love what you do?"

And not, 

"You can be anything you WANT to be!?"

Our passions are born within us. It's an internal, natural desire for self- expression. 

Our wants and desires are developed or influenced externally by the world around us. 

What an exciting world we would live in if we became 

inside-out people, rather than 

outside-in? 

More and more young people would develop their Calling and not a generic Career. 

We are all pieces to this giant puzzle. 

We each have a special Calling to fill. 

This was the Creator's design, 

unity and 

community 

working together, 

different yet 

the same. 

Each called according to 

his own purpose. 

Together 

In Christ. 

This is the way to God's perfect will for this earth, so that 

His Will will be done on this Earth as it is in Heaven. 

Once we understand that this is the Father's design, this shifts the focus from our desires and wants to 

God's desires and wants. 

And if we listen to our children and develop the passion instilled within them, they can achieve both their own and God's will synonymously. It will be one and the same. 

They will be working from 

The inside-out. 

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and 

are called according to his purpose for them.   

For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (Romans 8: 28-29 NLT)

For some of us who may think it's too late to shift gears or pursue a different course,  we must remember it's never to late to change. Today is the first day of the rest of our lives. 

This is  what Jesus had to say about it:

Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"

Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

John 6:28-29 NIV

For us, adults, we can just start right where we are, right in the path we have chosen to believe in the one God sent. 

Once we do this we can see that 

"Christ in us is the hope of glory!" Colossians 1:27

All of us are called to draw near to our God and develop a relationship with Him. 

Now that alone is a divine Calling!! 

We are mere humans, tiny specs in this giant universe called to commune with the very Creator of it all, the Almighty God! 

This is the glorious mystery! 

This small revelation can change our outlook, our desires, our direction, our motives and begin to open us up to living in a different light with a different focus: 

Less of us and more of God!

We can change the direction of a generation!

Christ in us is the hope of glory!! When we receive Him, we can receive all that He planned for us to have and all the wonderful fruits of the spirit, wholeness, joy, peace, unconditional love, perfect health and all the wealth we'll ever need. 

Don't miss it. 

Step into your divine Calling so that His will be done on this earth as it is in heaven!

“You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you’ll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me ! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren’t willing to receive from me the life you say you want. (John 5:39, 40 MSG)