Feeling Fabulous Friday: Life is Breaking Out

Today, I feel changed. I feel life breaking out, beauty from ashes! I don't know where my life is going, but for once, I have a peace about it. Tomorrow, things may change, but I have peace for today...and today is all that matters. I am taking it one day at a time.

There is misery in the past and uncertainty in the future, but today, there is life and peace!

I was reminded of last week's post, Blossoming Beautifully, when I saw my dear friend, Mrs. C's blog post today. She shares some pictures of her beautiful lillies, whose blooms have just now opened! Blooming lillies in the last week of July! That is so symbolic to me! You see, I have had a really rough time this year, and all winter long, I was looking forward to spring, especially the springtime of the soul!! Well, spring came and went and I felt as if I was the only one left who had not come back to life again after the long winter. Now, here I am in the middle of the summer...a springtime flower finally blossoming! What a beautiful picture! All things bloom in God's time!

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-13 NLT

¹ For everything there is a season,
     a time for every activity under heaven.

 ² A time to be born and a time to die.
      A time to plant and a time to harvest. 

³ A time to kill and a time to heal.
      A time to tear down and a time to build up.

 ⁴ A time to cry and a time to laugh.
      A time to grieve and a time to dance. 

⁵ A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
      A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
 ⁶ A time to search and a time to quit searching.
      A time to keep and a time to throw away.
 ⁷ A time to tear and a time to mend.
      A time to be quiet and a time to speak. 

⁸ A time to love and a time to hate.
      A time for war and a time for peace. 

 ⁹ What do people really get for all their hard work? ¹⁰ I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. ¹¹ Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. ¹² So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. ¹³ And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

What great instructions for living life in the peace that God provides! We must rest and trust in His timing for every season. We must choose this rest and choose to feel fabulous despite of the season we are in, because this life is too short to ignore the blessings.

I am not "out of the woods" yet, and I have by no means reached complete healing and perfection. Yet, the Lord has given me peace for the moment and hope for the days ahead, just as this week's Fabulous Friday Happy Song says!

My advice today is for you to hand it over...whatever it is that you are holding onto so tightly. Just let it go and leave it in His hands, for who is like the Lord? Who else can turn ashes into something beautiful and cause a lily to bloom in the middle of summer?!

Isaiah 61:1-3 NLT

¹ The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
      for the Lord has anointed me
      to bring good news to the poor.
   He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
      and to proclaim that captives will be released
      and prisoners will be freed.^[a]
 2 He has sent me to tell those who mourn
      that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,^[b]
      and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.
 ³ To all who mourn in Israel,^[c]
      he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
   a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
      festive praise instead of despair.
   In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks

that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

Our God cannot be contained. He can't be boxed in to operate in our timing, and he won't give up us when we give up on ourselves.

Cannot Keep You

by Gungor

Fabulous Friday Happy Song: Brighter Day

Well, I have to go with Gungor again for this weeks happy and encouraging song for Fabulous Friday.

 You will feel the hope and excitement in this song, I promise!

A brighter day is coming, so keep your heads up people!!

Brighter Day

by Gungor

Brighter Day

At the start there was love and life began in him

Creation falls, Creator gives a promise of a better day

We are not there yet

Let it come and let it come in

Love is here and love is coming

Heaven is breaking open

Heaven is breaking open

Love came down and hope was found and life began again

A brand new start, yeah, a brand new start

A promise of a better day

We are not there yet

 

Let it come and let it come in

Love is here and love is coming

Heaven is breaking open

Heaven is breaking open

 

Love came down and hope was found

and now we're waking up to a brighter day

Love came down and hope was found

and now we're waking up to a brighter day...

Woah, brighter day, brighter day

Woah, brighter day

We'll see a brighter day

We are not there yet

 

Let it come and let it come in

Love is here and love is coming

Heaven is breaking open

Heaven is breaking open

Let it come and let it come in

Love is here and, woah (love is coming)

The last word has not been spoken

Heaven is breaking open!

 

 

If you are not familiar with Gungor, I seriously encourage you to look them up.

I have been so encouraged and inspired by their music,

especially in the past few weeks,

and I am sure this is not the last song from Gungor that I will be sharing!!

 

Have a Fabulous and Blessed Friday!

Encouragement and Confirmation...From Strangers!

Sometimes, encouragement comes from the strangest of places...

Many of you may not know this, but my full-time "day job" is working as a Receptionist/Office Manager for a Funeral Home. I always get such interesting reactions from people when I tell them what I do for a living, and I don't blame them. It is something that I never dreamed I would be doing, and most days I don't want to be doing it, to be quite honest! This job is depressing, demanding, boring, and routine...all of the things that I despise. Still, I know that it can be a wonderful opportunity for me to be kind to people in their hour of need. What I did not count on was receiving encouragement from people who are grieving a loss.

Today, we had a new family come in to make final arrangements for their loved one. The deceased had been in the hospital for 79 days before she died, and she was only in her 50's. Part of her family had traveled all the way from Hawaii to be with her during her final days, and they were now charged with the responsibility of laying her to rest. As, I helped them to craft the obituary, one of the ladies looked at me and said, "You are so adorable! The way you dress and the way you present yourself is just so chipper. It is lovely that people can be greeted by you in their time of grief." She went on to say that I reminded her of her 21 year old daughter who was just now starting to blossom. She said that she could see that I was really blossoming!

Isn't it so ironic that I just posted on Friday about my resolve to bloom where I am planted, and Tuesday morning a stranger tells me that she can see that I am blossoming! Sometimes encouragement and confirmation really does come from the strangest places. I believe that God loves to surprise us with these little moments of "coincidence." I like to call them "God Encounters!" They prove to us that He really cares, and He really sees our efforts and is pleased with them. These "God Encounters" prove that we are hearing Him clearly! What a blessing!!

Here is a little look into the environment where I am currently planted and trying to learn to bloom:

My view all day.

Swivel around to answer the phone, and this is what I see.



I am planted in this chair. I don't like it, but I will bloom anyway.

 For you, today, I would like to send a little encouragement via an inspirational country song that offers a great message...Do it anyway! That's the message that I try to hold onto when times are tough and I feel stifled and stuck in the same old routine.

Ministry Monday: Overcoming Obstacles

Rick Warren tweeted today:

"Never trust your emotions on Monday morning, especially if you serve on a church staff."
Oh, how true that statement is. However, for me it would be more accurate to say, "Never trust your emotions on Saturday night, especially if you serve on a church staff!" It never fails that on Saturday night, I will have some sort of crisis and emotional breakdown, resulting in a sleepless night. The biggest obstacle I face in my ministry is my own anxiety!

I have faced a lot of obstacles in my current position, some big and some small. All of these obstacles are attempts by Satan to sabotage the future of my church as well as my ministry in general. He wants to keep me feeling jaded and unuseful. He wants to keep me feeling inadequate and unsure, and he wants to keep me doubting that I have heard God's voice regarding each situation.  I'll admit that he has been somewhat successful. He stirs up my anxiety and robs me of joy and rest. For this, I am truly sorrowful!


 I had one of those paralyzing moments of anxiety, just this past Saturday evening. It was just terrible...I was a complete basket case and could not be reasoned with. After such a night, I knew that I really needed to get up early and dive into the Word for comfort and wisdom. So, I got up and I opened up the Bible app on my phone. There, staring be in the face was this verse of the day:

Matthew 11:28-30

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light

Those verses are the key to overcoming obstacles! We must give our burden to the Lord instead of allowing our Enemy to rub those burdens in our faces and torture our minds so that we cannot sleep.

Despite my obssesive worrying and fretting, God worked everything out on Sunday, and He recieved glory, honor and praise! Oh the wasted time and energy that we spend worrying! I wish that I could take those minutes back, but all we can do is look towards the future and resolve to overcome our personal and ministry obstacles by keeping our eyes on Jesus and remembering that "this too shall pass."

Here is another set of verses that have helped me as I struggle to let go of anxiety and overcome obstacles:

1 Peter 5:6-8

 ⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  ⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

 Please continue to pray for Mr. The King and I as we continue to overcome those obstacles in our ministry, by keeping our eyes fully focused on God and His plans!

Fabulous Friday Happy Song

This is a very happy, joyful, rejoicing song!

I love it! It is so much fun to worship to!

I particularly enjoy the instrumentation as well as the lyrics.

What beautiful sounds from the xylophone...

So unique

I have included 2 video versions of this song.

The first one will allow you to see the lyrics

and sing along if you would like to,

and the second one is pure joy,

as you watch the band perform it live in the forest!!

(The vocals are a little soft on the second version. That's why I wanted to include another version)

So here they are for your enjoyment!!!

The Earth Is Yours

by Gungor

The Earth Is Yours

Live in the Forest

Feeling Fabulous Friday: Blossoming Beautifully




Photo by King's Queen
Originally posted on Artist of the Soul blog

 

I don't know where I first heard the phrase, "Bloom where you are planted," but I can say for sure that I never really understood what it meant until a couple of years ago.

Bloom where you are planted...

It is a lesson that I feel like I have had to learn and relearn over the past few years. To me, it means to find contentment in your current environment and to learn and grow there. Complaining about where we are in life often holds us back; it keeps us from learning and growing, but God can use us no matter where we are. We may not like the place that He has planted us, but He wants to make us bloom in order to show the world that it is Him at work in us.

Most of the time, I find myself saying, "Lord, if you would only move me over there, I could be happy and really serve You more!" I am the one who cries out to the Lord saying, "I have faith!! Why won't you move this mountain?!" However, the Lord is gently whispering:

 "My child, if I move the mountain, you will not experience what it is like to see me work in the shadows, and you will not learn what it means to rise from the ashes!"

Isn't it amazing that God can do His work despite the circumstances working against us! I feel so convicted about complaining, because I can see now just how little my faith has been. I think it takes more faith to live content in the shadow of the mountain, than it does to move the mountain! I have finally come to the conclusion that there is more that God wants to do, more goodness and power that He wants to show, and by helping me to bloom in the shadows, He is making His glory known.

   I am the Lord; there is no other god.
      I will give you the strength you need,
      although you do not know me.
 ⁶ I do this so that everyone
      from one end of the world to the other
      may know that I am the Lord
      and that there is no other god. 

⁷ I create both light and darkness;
      I bring both blessing and disaster.
      I, the Lord, do all these things.
 ⁸ I will send victory from the sky like rain;
      the earth will open to receive it
      and will blossom with freedom and justice.
   I, the Lord, will make this happen.

Isaiah 45: 5-8 (GNT)

This Friday, it feels fabulous to know that God sends victory like rain to bring us to bloom. He makes our lives blossom even in the shadows of the mountain. I can see this in my life right now. There are so many ways that He is bringing me to life and and causing me to break forth into bloom. He is teaching me to be content in my current environment and to make the most of each moment even though I may feel that I am in a place where I can no longer bloom. He is teaching me that it is not my environment that causes me to blossom...it is His grace and mercy, His glory and power!

Jesus says in John 10:10 (ESV):

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

I firmly believe that life abundantly grows from within. It is not connected to our socioeconomic standing, popularity, or intellect. It is not connected to any earthly situation or circumstance. Abundant life is...blooming where you are planted! Abundant life is that contentment and joy that comes from trusting the Lord and choosing to see Him in everything! Abundant life is to be present in the here and now, not worrying about the future and not mourning over the past!

The song Dry Bones by Gungor has really spoken to me lately about seeking out God and crying out to Him for this life abundant instead of trying to find life abundant where I think it ought to be. The one line in this song that sticks out to me the most says, "Jesus, you're the One of saves us, constantly creates us into something new." What an amazing thought! The song goes on to say, "Life is breaking out." If we truly cry out to Him and trust Him despite our environment and circumstances right now, He will cause life to break out in us!

This song is very unique, and it really spoke to me. Although it's not a "happy song," I think it fits the message of what I am learning and what I am trying to say today. If you're not really into the song, just hold out for the end and the hope in the lyrics there.

If you really want to have a WOW moment with this song, then watch this video version:

The story to set you free (Gungor)

I have seen God working miracles of life in me this week. What started as a very difficult week, has ended with the fabulous feeling of growth and progress towards the "me" that I am supposed to be. Over the past few weeks, I have felt this revival creeping slowly upon me, awakening the life in me! I think we must go through the darkest dryest times in order to break into the abundant life. This life is found in Jesus, and He gives it to us right where we are.

I have one last thought regarding the well-known phrase, Bloom where you are planted:

Remember, God doesn't always change our circumstance... sometimes He changes us instead!

I am looking forward to blossoming even more beauitfully for Him in the weeks and months and years to come!




Mountain Laurel Beginning to Bloom
Photo by King's Queen

 

Dreams and My Identity

I have always been a dreamer, a creator, and an introvert. I have expressed myself best through writing and creating, and my dreams have fueled my life and given me joy. I am one who must take time to reflect and process, to artfully refine my expressions, and I often find it hard to be true to who I am in this fast-paced world.

It seems as though this world deals in the concrete, the tangible, the cold hard facts, while I prefer the abstract, the spiritual, the mysterious, the ineffable, the ethereal! I am just now understanding how this conflict has affected my perception of who I am. See how The Message paraphrases Romans 12:2-6:

Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
 ³I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.
 ^4-6In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't.

I love what this passage says about our identity. I love what it says about our value and our uniqueness. As we become closer to God, we understand ourselves better. We begin to understand who God created us to be, and what He wants us to do with our lives!

I believe that in some ways, I have fallen into the trap of conforming to the pattern of the world. I often feel as if I have to do things in a certain way in a certain timing and for a certain reason, because that is what I have seen and heard here in the world of the concrete. Some people think that being a Christian is stifling and restricting, but what they don't understand is that the oppression that they feel in regards to Christianity is only that of world-conforming religion! In my opinion, religion is an institution of a concrete world. It is about forming logical patterns of how we should live and how we should do certain things. To me, that is not the freedom that Christ offers us! That is not the abundant life...it is a life that is conformed.

I propose that as followers of Christ that we break free of world-conforming religion, and instead find our freedom and true identity in Christ. I propose that we fix our attention on Him, and let Him give us visions and dreams to fuel us. Let Him show us who He uniquely created us to be.

For a while, I had lost sight of my true identity, but now, I am learning more and more everyday to live in His freedom and let Him give me Kingdom vision for a life of using the gifts and talents that He has given me. Now, I am letting Him bring out the best in me. I no longer what to try to be someone I am not, because I am beginningg to love the unique person that God has made me to be. I am looking forward to all the ways He is going to use me to bring about His perfect plan!

I want to share with you some of the dreams that I feel that God has given me:

• I dream of writing and publishing a book
• I dream of becoming an effective and passionate worship leader
• I dream of writing songs that touch souls
• I dream of leaving a legacy of love
• I dream of traveling abroad doing mission work
• I dream of making a difference in the life of a child
• I dream of living simply
• I dream of loving creatively

I have decided to use my God-given creativity more. I want to live life more fully in my true identity...with hope and joy that comes from knowing who God created me to be. Are you a creative person who has been stifled by this fast-paced concrete world? If so, take a look at the list of suggestions below to help revive that creative spirit that you have been given. There are some excellent suggestions, and I intend to put some of them to practice myself. Perhaps I will share the results with you in the future!

Remember...Do not conform, be transformed and stay true to who God created you to be!

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Worship Wednesday: Freedom Within

For 4 months now, I have been the worship leader at my church, and I really love it. I feel like I am exactly where God wants me to be, following His calling on my life. However, there have been struggles. I have often felt as though I was not truly free to worship. Have you ever felt that way? Well, I am finally learning to live in the true freedom that the Spirit gives us thorough Jesus. I pray that despite the world and the traditions of religious institutions, that I would always practice my freedom and offer my unique and individual expression of praise to the Lord without reservation... After all, He set me free, and without him I don't know where I would be. He deserves my worship, and He desires for me to worship in spirit and in truth! Oh, praise His name with me! Praise Him in your own way everyday!

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Ministry Monday

As we continue this walk through the ministries of my life, today I will introduce you to the world of radio. And before you ask... YES!!! I do have a radio voice.

The city where I grew up has it's own local Southern Gospel radio station. For those of you who are scratching your heads, Southern Gospel in a genre of music that combine country, bluegrass, folk and barber shop quartet style all with a spiritual and biblical backing. My father took me to the concerts that the station hosted throughout the years as I was growing up. It was the only music I listened to until I was in high school.

Each day on the drive to my high school, I had to drive by the radio station, and since I was looking for a job this high school junior stopped in one day. The Station Manager stuck me in this tiny production room and started one of the recording machines and handed me some papers to read off of. After reviewing the recording tapes, he informed me that they were not currently hiring, however, I was welcomed to "hang out" with the afternoon DJ after school. At first I was just watching, and then I started pushing buttons while Jimmy (the DJ) was watching. In radio almost everyone has two station jobs, and Jimmy's was commercial sales. Once Jimmy felt I had learned enough he would talk during the radio break, and then return to his desk to call clients while I was in the driver's seat. That was so much fun.

Finally, the station manager saw fit to give me my first air shift. I wish I could say it was prime time but we all know it does not work that way. There is a ladder to climb. My first air shift was Saturday nights from 10pm to 6am Sunday morning. For those of you who saw last week's post, this was during the same time that I was in charge of the Bus Ministry at church. I had to be there at 8am on Sundays for our first Bus Route. I may have fallen asleep a few times in church during that stage of my life! This weekend overnight shift was so boring, but I was not yet familular enough with the music to take requests. So, to break up the boredom I decided to take prayer requests and do a devotion. This idea was put on my heart following a New Year's Eve prayer service. The pastor made a big deal about praying in the New Year, and I thought, what if we prayed in every week, praying primarily for the church services that would be taking place later that morining and opening the phones up for prayer request as well. This touched so many people that I cannot even begin to tell you.

A new shift became available Sunday Afternoons from 2pm-1opm. The station manager informed me that he was aware of the impact that the prayer time was making, but he could not pay me to continue it. I decided to continue the program anyways, because this boredom breaker was actually making a difference. Not only had I been praying, but also delivering a mini devotion leading up to the prayer. With my new schedule, I would go in at 10pm Saturday and leave at 1am, then i would be back to work on Sunday afternoon.

 At this point in time, I had started back to school at Carson-Newman College. After three semesters in college, I decided college was not for me, so I returned home to a full time position at the same radio station. This time, I did have a prime time spot, M-F 10am-2pm. Jimmy had moved away and left a spot for me. I was sad that I would not be able to do my devotions anymore, until one day, I was informed that I could. Rather than going back to the mid-night devotion to start Sunday off right, we chose to go with the Mid-Day Motivator at 10:30am M-F. This is still a segement that I do to this day.

I mentioned almost everyone in radio had two station jobs... well my second job is assistant promotion director. This allows me to plan those concerts that my dad was always taking me to when I was younger. I am also in charge of, oversee, or manage various contests that we do, as well as managing station events under the direction of my supervisor, the Promotion Director.

Well, that's enough about the business side of radio, afterall this is Ministry Monday... I get listeners who call in on a regular basis who say that the message in the Mid-Day Motivator, a song that I play, or even a story I share blesses them. The radio industry has been hit hard by the economic downturn as well as CDs, MP3 downlooads, and satelite radio. Therefore, the bussiness side of this industry does not alway mean a good paycheck, but who can put a price on the blessings that is brought to our listeners. This station is part of my ministry.

A Song for the Future

Seeds by Brooke Fraser

This is a song for the future.

A song that I hope to sing as a lullaby for precious little ones who bring hope & joy, and liveliness & simplicity to my life.

I can hear it now as I sing it softly by the bedside of the ones with sleepy eyes.

I can hear it as it resonates in the corners of my mind.

I can hear it's lingering questions.

I can hear it's hopeful expressions. I can hear it...softly calling from the future.

Seeds

Night
Field of stars above us
You pick one
We frame it with our fingers intertwined

Seeds of every generation
Between our hands
And the promise to teach you the little I have learned
So far

Child
What will you live to do?
What have I left for you?
What will we leave behind?

You
Learning as you're growing
Not yet knowing
The world isn't always quite as beautiful
As it is now

Child
What will you live to do?
What have I left for you?
What will we leave behind?

Night
Field of stars above us
I pick one and name it for you
And all who are to come

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The Weekend Happy Song: Free To Be Me

Friday was a really busy day for me, but it was a good kind of busy. I was getting ready for my best friend from high school to come for a visit. She arrived Friday night at about 7:30pm, and we had a "Picnic Party" with her and some other friends. It was a very fun and refreshing way to end a difficult week!

The best part of our "Picnic Party" was that I was able to use my creativity again

(something I really haven't been able to do in a while) and I also got to hang out

with some great people who really make it easy for me to be myself. That freedom to be myself is really what I have been learning the most lately. So, I hope you will enjoy this Fabulous Weekend Happy Song FREE TO BE ME by Francesca Batistelli

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Dealing with the Aftermath

If you are like me, you have never really experienced a REAL natural disaster. Sure, I've been through a few pretty intense thunderstorms and had tornadoes hit pretty close to home, especially recently, but compared to the earthquakes, tsunamis and storms that have rocked the world lately, I can not say that I have seen disaster. However, if there is one thing that I truly know about and have experienced, it is an emotional disaster, a faith shaking, confidence crumbling emotional storm of enormous proportions!

I have experienced some very REAL emotional disasters in my life. I have had my whole world turned upside down and made right again only to face more devastation...somewhat similar to the foreshocks and aftershocks of an earthquake.

An aftershock is a smaller earthquake that occurs after a previous large earthquake, in the same area of the main shock. If an aftershock is larger than the main shock, the aftershock is redesignated as the main shock and the original main shock is redesignated as a foreshock. Aftershocks are formed as the crust around the displaced fault plane adjusts to the effects of the main shock.

When I am just beginning to recover from a major change, it seems that my new found peace of mind triggers an emotional aftershock of some sort or another. I know why this happens...It happens because my positive adjustments to life's difficulties really tick Satan off! He can't stand to see me succeed, so he has to kick up some more dust. He has to pour salt in the wound; he has to keep me in chaos!

Well, I have had enough!! I may cower for a moment, but I am a survivor! I am an heir...and my Father has something greater that He wants to make out of all of this! So, I will stand back up and I will listen and learn. I will learn to see the beautiful thing that the Father is making out of the aftermath of emotional disaster...out of the dust of my life!

Worship Wednesday: The Struggle of Life

I don't have much to say today. I don't have much encouragement to offer. In fact, to be completely honest, I'm struggling right now. Today, I am David...wondering why the Lord doesn't answer...wondering why I must struggle and fight through life while the wicked prosper. Today, I am Job...asking the Lord why he won't just take me. Today, I am George Bailey (It's a Wonderful Life)...wondering if the world wouldn't be better off without me.

I'm sorry to share such dark thoughts and emotions, but I just feel a strong need to be completely transparent. It's overwhelming when you feel like your heart is in the right place, but no matter what good you try to do for the Kingdom and no matter how hard you seek to worship God and find His will for your life, you can never seem to catch a break. I am human, and I don't like to suffer!

I can't imagine how Paul was able to sing praises to God in his prison cell. I feel bound by my life sometimes, and it is hard for me to just put on a smile in the midst of the pain, much less make a joyful noise to the Lord. However, times like these are when I need to worship the most, because worship changes us. It puts us before a holy God so that He can deal with us as He sees fit.

So right now, I will worship through music, prayer and the Word. It may not be a joyful offering, but thankfully I have a God who understands how I feel, a God who will extend grace and strength if I will wait on Him. So, I will worship, and I will wait for I have no other choice.

"But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."
Isaiah 40:31 NLT

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Ministry Monday - Church Ministry

To recap from my first Ministry Monday Post... over the next few week I am going to be posting about various ministries that I have been apart of. The ministry that I have poured most of my life into has been the local church. Since twelve years of age I have held volunteer positions at five different churches. It seem that I have always been able to find a place to plug in and get dirty for Jesus. With changes in my age, my knowledge and the needs of the different churches, I have served under different titles and had various jobs and responsibilities.

The first church job I had was Sound Technician, when I was 12 yrs. old. Gary, one of the deacons and my Sunday School teacher, ran the sound system for each service. I'm really not sure why, but I was so captivated by this behind the scenes job. At first, I was a mere observer, but as I learned from him, he began to allow me to take part in pre-service work such as checking mics and stage set up. Finally, one day, Gary said, "OK, it's all yours." I asked him why he was willing to step away from such an important position... his reply, "I've always wanted to sing in the choir, and now I can."

By the time I was fifteen this same church purchased a van. A deacon named Roy was in charge of finding drivers and drafting a route, and he felt that since I knew where the kids lived in the neighborhood, I would make a great Assistant Van Director. An easy job... all I had to do is get parent's names and contact info for each child and check seat belts before we drove to the next stop. Once I became more familiar with the routes and our riders, Roy suggested that I be given the full title and he would be my assistant. I always thought that this was so funny. I did not even have a drivers license yet, and I was the Van Director.

I am going to interrupt myself here and bring some honesty to you. You may think, wow two church jobs before he was even old enough to work in a regular job... this kid is spiritually squared away. Unfortunately this was the front that I put on, but it was not close to the truth. I was "saved" when I was twelve but I really did not care about church. I was brought up in the church and that's all I knew. I would go when I felt like it, but when I was put in charge of the sound, I was there for every service. Then, that got old. I realized that the service would go on without me, and once again I became hit or miss in my attendance. Then, I had another important job on the van. As it ran its course, I ended up in the same place. The thing that finally broke this chain for me was a youth rally where my faith was made real. At this point, working in the church was no longer about feeling good about what I could do or how needed I was. Ministry in the local church became a privilege to me, something I could do to show God appreciation for his blessings.

One of our youth leaders named Earl a guitarist, pianist, drummer and more, saw this change in me and offered to teach me how to play the drums. Together with some other students, we formed a worship band. I was officially a Praise Band Drummer. Since that first drum lesson, I have played in two youth bands and played for three churches in their regular weekly services.

In high school, I felt God leading me to start an after school bible study. (THIS IS A STORY FOR ANOTHER POST), but as I stood before my peers leading them in reading and interpreting God's word, I realized my calling to be a preacher. I grew in age and was technically no longer a youth, so I became a Youth Volunteer. Knowing that it was in my youth, grades 6-12 , when I truly met God and acknowledged his calling on my life, I decided to go into youth ministry. I served as an Assistant Youth Director under my wife for about two years. We felt God pulling us away from that church, and at the same time, King's Queen was feeling that God's calling in her life was shifting in a new direction. Almost two years later, she was hired as a worship leader, and that same church has called me as their Student Minister as well.

These are the titles and positions that I have held in the local church. What started as "Look what I can do" turned into "Look what God can do through me." This was a hard lesson to learn, but one that I know pleases God. He is happy that I finally got the memo!

Time and time again, we find Jesus reaching out and helping those who were where He was at the same time that He was there. He even looked us in the face and said, "What you do to the least of these you do to me." We live in our community and attend our church not to warm the pew or chair, but to be the hands and feet of Christ. The community has a need, and the church has a responsibility to meet that need. However, unless you and I are willing to plug in and get dirty for Jesus within our local church, the need will never be met. It is not the job of your Pastor, Worship Leader, Student Minister, Van Director, or drummer to find a place for you to help in the ministry of the local church... It's your job! This week, find a vacancy at your church and fill it. It's time to be about the Fathers Business.

A Calling...A Joyful Anointing!

You love justice and hate evil.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you,

pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else. http://bible.us/Ps45.7.NLT

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Naturally Me: Who God Created Me to Be

I must forewarn you. This is going to be a very honest, soul bearing post. So, if you are not ready to get an inside glimpse into my mind and my heart, then I would suggest that you stop reading now.

Okay...here goes...

I feel the need to share a deep insecurity of mine that I have struggled with for a very long time. It is something that has weighed on me daily for many years, but at this point in my life, I feel like God is giving me freedom from this insecurity. So, I am taking a step of faith and empowering the spirit of God to free me completely.

For as long as I can remember, I have worn a mask. I put on a happy face to hide my pain and sadness, I flash a smile to disguise disappointment, and I blink to hold back tears. To sum it all up, I do not wear my emotions on my sleeves...I am afraid to. In the same way, I have put on a literal mask everyday. I paint up my face to hide any flaw or imperfection. I try to create a beautiful facade, one that people can't see through.

Over the past few years, I have slowly begun to let down that guard. It is a long process to be healed of these insecurities and fears, but I want to allow my Heavenly Father to complete the work. So, today, I am taking down a wall and stepping out into freedom and security as a Child of God.

Below is a gallery of me...naturally. No make-up, no masks, just me as God created me.

One of our camping trips



Another camping trip!



Trying on my hubby's hat. Yep, I ended up stealing that one,



Hiking with our 1st  Youth Group



Self portrait while hiking with my hubby!

After an exhausting day of water park fun!

 Take a look at those faces...they are the faces of freedom. Freedom from fear; freedom from shame; freedom from vanity, freedom from superficiality, freedom from insecurity, and freedom from pretending...

I could go on and on, but I simply want to say that I am slowly but surely finding myself again.  As silly as it may sound, this was a BIG step for me in conquering my insecurity and  becoming more transparent. I can feel the confidence and empowerment of the Holy Spirit rising up in me and tearing down my walls brick by brick. I am beginning to see who I really am in Him!

My goal...

Don't be afraid to be me...

naturally...

the way I was created to be!

Friday Fun Fact #1 !

So, maybe I am going a bit crazy with the feature ideas, but I just find it so much fun! Today, I got the idea to give you, our readers, some fun facts about life in the King family! We won't do this every Friday, but occasionally, when we feel the need to share, we will give you a Friday Fun Fact!!

Friday Fun Fact #1:

The REAL identity of this here critter!

Photo by Mr. The King

You may think that you have been properly introduced to our Jack Russell Mix, Toby, but you are wrong!

The fact is that Toby has many aliases! Yes, he is one sly dog parading around with multiple identities...

Photo by King's Queen

Toby was born into this world as Bill (Yes, I know...a rather odd name for a dog.). When he was adopted, his name was legally changed to Toby Bill King. However, he is now known by many variations of that name including, but not limited to:

Tobithy

Tobias

Toblerone (Mmm! Chocolate)

Tob Tob

The Tobster

T-Dog

Baby (Nobody puts Baby in the corner!!)

Pup Pup

and my favorite...

Toby-Wan Kenobi

(I came up with this one all by myself!)

Of course, we can't forget his lesser known alias:

Butt Face

(I did not give him this one!)



Well that was Friday Fun Fact #1...

Stay tuned...

 because you never know when you'll get to learn another

Friday Fun Fact!!

Feeling Fabulous Friday!!! For someone else???

Imagine with me...

You are in the grocery store and see a person you used to go to school with. Your eyes make contact so you acknowledge their presence. Then you say the most inconsiderate phrase ever stated, "How's it going?", you ask. Your "so called" friend replies "fine". Whew... you are so relieved that they responded in that manner, and you move on with your normal life.

This phrase upsets me sometimes because it is socially expected for one person to ask and the other to give a positive and vague response. I am about to suggest something that is so revolutionary that it might just stop the world from spinning on it's axis....

What if you only said, "How's it going?" when you truly cared about the response the other person would have.

You may be thinking...what does this have to do with feeling fabulous? Well...

Let's go back to the grocery store...

Your reply to their "fine" is "Are you really fine, because everybody says fine, but I haven't seen you in a while and I really want to know how you are doing." A surprised and shocked look comes over their face while they reply, "Why would you care when no one else does?" With a simple remark of, "You are my friend and I do care," you bring a smile to a person who, up until that time, felt alone and abandoned.


This is a hypothetical scenario, but it could play out in your life the next time you are at the store. In this age of social media sites and cell phones with immediate contact to almost everyone in the world, the sense of loneliness is at an all time high. Superficial relationships blossom while we all seek for relationships that mean more. Your concern for another may allow them to leave the grocery store feeling fabulous. Today for Fabulous Friday, I want to challenge you to do something for someone else that will make them feel a little more fabulous... just show that you care. Who knows in the process of trying to help others feel fabulous, you may find that it forces you to feel fabulous too. Show the love of God to someone who needs to feel fabulous.

And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.

Matthew 15:14

Fabulous Friday Happy Song : I Love the Way You Hold Me

Happy Friday everyone!!

I hope you are having a fabulous day...

but if not, just sit back, relax

and listen to this peppy, pick-me-up song!

It seems to always perk me up!

Today's Fabulous Friday Happy Song is...

Hold Me

by Jaime Grace

featuring Toby Mac

My take on this song: If you want to have a happy, fabulous day...think about how much God loves and cares for you! Spend some time with Him, praise Him, and show Him your love in return!

May I Introduce...

...A New KINGdom Encounters Feature...

This new feature called "May I Introduce..." is a periodic post that we will use to introduce you to some of our friends and family members who are doing cool, new, awesome, creative, and wonderful things.

Today, May I Introduce...

My dear friend and little brother,

Logan

Singer/Songwriter/Musician Extraordinaire

This is his original song, Is the Bride Ready?

Logan just finished his freshman year of college, and he has been playing guitar for about 7 years now. When he was 12, I had just finished my freshman year in college and had started teaching myself to play the guitar. I showed him how to play of few chords, and he was hooked!! I never did really learn to play the guitar well, but Logan persisted in teaching himself mostly through watching other guitar players and practice, practice, practice. It got to be such a passion for him, that my parents had to check in on him at night to make sure that he was sleeping instead of sitting in his room quietly strumming away.

At first, Logan mostly played for other people to sing to. He was going through that awkward voice changing time of adolescence, but he slowly and surely started finding his voice. He was mastering the guitar, and he was beginning to compose music of his own. He often played for me as I sang for various events, and he also started singing some background harmony with me as well. One day, as we were rehearsing for an event, he started playing a little music he had composed, and I started spontaneously singing words to it. We stayed up till about 2am finishing the song, and we performed it the next day at the event. That experience is what prompted both my brother and I to put more time and energy into songwriting.

I am really proud of my brother and how far he has come. He has had many opportunities to sharpen his skills and use them for the glory of the Lord, and the Lord has blessed him with a wonderful girlfriend who has become a partner in ministry for him. I know that God is going to use both of them mightily, and I am excited to see what their future holds!!

Here are a few more videos that showcase the gift that my brother has been given.

Enjoy these beautiful worship songs !!

Let the Water's Rise Cover

Nuestro Dios (Our God) Cover

Forever Reign Cover

Worship Wednesday: A Worship Breakthrough!

As usual, I am a little late with this post. Wednesdays are pretty busy for me as I work on finalizing the order of service for the week, preparing for choir practice, and then leading choir practice. Yesterday, was a particularly busy Wednesday. I am in the middle of making some really exciting changes to our worship service, so I had to spend a little more time and energy preparing and practicing this week.

I could really use some prayers as I implement these changes. I know that I am following the Holy Spirit's guidance in this matter, but when we are obedient, Satan tends to take offense and stir up trouble. However, I do not intend to let him stop me, so help me pray that the changes will be well received and that God would give me the strength to hold up against any attack!

My goal for the worship service at our church is to transform it from a rigid religious practice or routine, into a sincere expression of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. I want our congregation to feel the freedom of opening up to God and offering Him their honest praise and cries of surrender. I want them to be able to hear the voice of the Lord, and to taste and see His goodness. I want them to feel His comfort, to recognize His power, and to be changed by the knowledge of His love! I want our church, as a small portion of the world wide Body of Christ, to break through the walls that surround us and find the freedom to worship "in spirit and in truth." (John 4: 15-25)

I am so excited about this Sunday!! In rehearsal yesterday, I could feel change in the air! I personally felt a new freedom and passion in my soul for worshipping our One and Only God, our Creator, our Saviour...the Lord of All! I am praying that this breakthrough of mine is contagious!

I actually began to feel this worship breakthrough on Sunday afternoon. As Mr. The King and I were surfing the net for videos to use for our Student Worship, we came across the following video, and it confirmed in my heart that the changes I felt needed to be made were indeed the Lord's will.

This Sunday our Pastor is going to be preaching on this passage of scripture:

Psalm 34:1-4 NASB

¹ I will praise the Lord at all times.
      I will constantly speak his praises.
 ² I will boast only in the Lord;
      let all who are helpless take heart. ³ Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;
      let us exalt his name together.  ⁴ I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
      He freed me from all my fears. ⁵ Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
      no shadow of shame will darken their faces. ⁶ In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
      he saved me from all my troubles. ⁷ For the angel of the Lord is a guard;
      he surrounds and defends all who fear him.
 ⁸ Taste and see that the Lord is good.
      Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

I was so excited when I learned that this passage will be the sermon theme for Sunday. You see, there was a day recently when I was having a really difficult time. I was very down; I was stressed and discouraged beyond comprehension. That day, I cried out to the Lord in desperation, asking Him to speak to me. I needed to hear from Him so badly, and I felt like He had been silent for too long! Then, I picked up my Bible, and it fell open to this passage of scripture in Psalm 34. The moment I read those words, my heart was overwhelmed with comfort and encouragement. All I could do was cry tears of joy, because I knew that the Lord had answered my cry!

Our God knows just what we need, and He wants us to turn to Him in our time of need! It is a breakthrough moment in our hearts when we realize that He is the only one who has the answers and the only one who can make our lives worthwhile. Crying out to Him is often the most beautiful expression of praise that we can offer. 

We sing this song a lot in our Student Worship, because I love the message and it is one of our student's favorites (*My little Emma bear!* Please excuse my burst of sentimentalism :-)). However, Mr. The King has never been a fan of this song. You see, I have a different perspective on the lyrics than he does. I believe that this song is saying that God would rather hear our cries of desperation, realizing that He is our only hope, than to hear us offering empty praise to Him on Sundays! That is why I feel that we need a worship breakthrough, and that is why I can't wait to share what God does in our service on Sunday!

I am expecting a move of God...

I am expecting a worship breakthrough!