We are Victorious 2015: Do it better and the year of Come and See

It's been a few weeks since I've written anything.  It's been pretty quiet.  No major a-ha moments just quiet moments of encouragement and study.  I've had a lot of realizations that seem to all flow together.

I decided on my theme for this year:  Do it better.  I feel like a lot of good things were started last year and this year I want to do it all better.  Not even to do more but to do what I've started better than before.

My word for this year is VICTORIOUS.  I believe that the seeds that I have sown for the past decade really are going to begin producing their harvest.

Faith and building bridges

I am doing my 40 day Prayer Circle Challenge like I did last year but things are different.  I haven't asked God to make this and that happen.  I've asked him to change my perspective on things.  Maybe my feelings of rejection and being unwanted are really hedges of protection.  I know FOR SURE that not answering my prayers about singledom was for good.  I know that for a fact.  I'm doing a study on The Story of Marriage and really the more I get into it and begin to deal with certain issues any change on that front before now would have ended in failure.

I've started thinking about what Faith means to me.  At this point I feel like I'm standing at the Red Sea or the Jordan River.  I can see the Promised Land on the other side but I don't know how I'm going to get across.  

What is Faith?

Faith isn't giving up and saying "Forget it.  I'll never make it across"  

Faith isn't coming up with a contingency plan since it doesn't look like I will get across

Faith isn't jumping in and trying to swim across.  I would drown because I don't know how to swim.

Faith also isn't being content to stay on the other side and setting up my life there.

Faith is waiting for God's provision and the opportunity to step across.  It's waiting for that moment, that opportunity, and the synchronous events to take place that will take me over to the other side.

There are lots of things that I am wanting to move to the next level this year but they take faith, hard work, preparation, and the faith to press send.  

The Year of Come and See

At Shiloh Church in Oakland the Pastor has been emphasizing that this will be the year of Come and See.  Our church will be filled with the testimonies of what God is doing in people's lives.  I've been on a similar wavelength.

God has placed on my heart, John 11:40

Didn't I tell you that you would see God's Glory if you believed?

My word for the year is Victorious!  I believe that there will be victory in every area of my life this year.  I have been working for the past 10 years for this moment and time personally and professionally and now we will begin to see that effort yield fruit all to the Glory of God.

Waiting for the other shoe to drop

This morning in my Quiet Time I told God I was afraid to pray "Change me" prayers or any of that because I knew that meant something bad would happen.  I'm always waiting for something bad to happen because that's how I was raised.

During service this morning a woman shared a word from the Lord with the congregation.  She said 

"Some of you are like that man in the passage where if a child asks their Father for a piece of fish will He give them a snake?  You think God is only to give you bad things and not what you've asked him for because you've convinced yourself you're unworthy and you don't deserve it."

Yep.  Right on my street.

Dedicating this month to Jesus

My church is doing a 21 day Daniel Fast to dedicate this month to Jesus.  You don't have to do that.  You can pick other things to fast from.  I picked no unnecessary shopping and the money I will put in the offering instead.  I set a goal for giving this month and I'm going to stick to it.

One of my goals this year is to get a job that will render me financially independent.  I keep calling it an adult job, with benefits, salary, and will sustain me.  The job of course must be one that provides IMPACT and helping others. I'm ready to move on from gym training as a primary source of income.  

It's been nearly 10 years and I know this isn't the type of job that will sustain me.  I still plan to do health and fitness coaching but it's time to leave this behind.  I've been too scared to do it before because it's all I've done since graduating college.  Now I am ready to soar and see what else God has for me to do.  I am trusting in him.

I also don't want to wait until I get a new job to be faithful in my giving.  I want to start now.  I wrote in my journal the amount I eventually want to give this year and it corresponds with my tithe at the salary I desire.

Even the amount that I set to give this month is more than I may bring in this month but I will say that I trust God for his provision.  Don't worry I'm not writing any bad checks.  It will really mean tightening my budget (using mint.com will help) and trusting that God will give me the opportunities to increase my income.

Stay tuned.  I believe that God will be faithful.  I think I'm more excited to see what God is going to do.  

Yahweh Yireh.  Oh the mountain of the Lord it shall be provided.

To God be the Glory