Healing and The Cross…

It’s 0205 and I sit here replaying and contemplating a conversation that I had earlier this evening.

Someone that I love more than they can possibly know has been challenged recently from a health perspective.  The person working with them to rehabilitate and regain things physically told them that they would probably never be 100%.

I expressed that I am believing for total recovery.  I am praying for complete healing and restoration.  Jesus died so that we might be whole.  I shared 1Peter 2:24 – that by HIS stripes we were healed.  They told me that it was about salvation.  I pointed out that this scripture specifically says “healed” not “saved”.

The comment was made that they were glad I knew everything.  I don’t know everything but I do have my own conversations with God.  I know His promises and the total gift of Calvary.

They indicated that they will choose to believe the word of the medical professionals.  My comment was that if that is what they want to do and that they will never be 100%, don’t be surprised with the result.  I can pray and believe all that I want but it will not manifest unless they have faith  to believe it is possible.

You see, God meets us at our faith level…

This person got so upset with me sharing that God wants them whole they didn’t want to continue talking.  I know that the reaction stems from fear and their faith being challenged.  Apparently, healing is not something that has been shared or taught by the pastors in churches they’ve attended.

John 10:10 tells us that the *thief* comes to steal, kill and destroy but that Jesus came so that we can have life and have it MORE ABUNDANTLY!  The cross is not only about salvation, it is about everything…healing, life, abundance, blessings, joy unspeakable, hope, faith, gentleness, kindness, patience, self control, goodness, peace, grace, mercy, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE!  The blood covers every aspect of our lives!

At various times, this person has indicated that God doesn’t put more on us than we can handle or that He gives us the grace to bear it.

Let’s be clear!  Jesus bore the cross so that we do not have to do so!  He sacrificed so that we can be whole, healed, abundant and blessed!  When we put restrictions on The Cross and the shedding of the blood, we fail to honor all that was done for us!  Jesus took and took and took with hosts of angels waiting for one word to intervene…beaten, thirsty, spit upon, cursed, mocked, stabbed, sweaty, weakened, dirt covered, blood soaked…nailed to a tree…hanging there *unrecognizable*…until He cried – IT IS FINISHED!

So much LOVE among extreme brokenness…Father forgive them for they know not what they do!

When He declared it was FINISHED…the fall was restored, the veil was torn, a new covenant ushered in, the perfect sacrifice made so that no other sacrifice would have to be.

It makes my heart ache when what the enemy does gets blamed on God.  If we can love so deeply from our brokenness then why do we think God loves less from His place of pure, deep, endless, unconditional love???  This is like saying that you want your children/parents/family/spouses to be sick, diseased, poor, deprived, sad, depressed, etc. but not any more than they can handle.

This is not what God desires!  We only have to look at the life of Jesus to see the heart of the Father.  The majority of Jesus’ ministry was healing.  Anyone that had faith was healed!  Look at the woman who touched His robe, her FAITH made her whole.  He didn’t see her to qualify whether she deserved it.  She simply had faith.

If you are someone that has similar thoughts on healing and The Cross, I pray for you an undeniable God encounter.  That you would know Him in all of is amazingness.  If you weren’t taught this and question it; I encourage you to start the conversation with Him yourself!  He will reveal Himself and His truth to you!!!

-As One

#FathersDay

As I sit here and contemplate, it has been 28 years since I said “Until we meet again” to my dad.  Some days it seems like ages and yet other times only yesterday.

My father was a man of integrity.  One who lived his life as he believed 24×7.  He was not perfect but he did walk the talk!  The last few years of his life he was a “minister”.  I use the quotes because for all of my life that I can remember, he was always ministering.  We always had someone in out home growing up…prisoners, vagabonds, hitchhikers, random strangers, the least of these.

In our home, the exterior of a person was not seen.  It was all about their heart and eternal destiny.  Mom would prepare a meal and dad a shower and change of clothes.  While they would nourish their bodies, he was there to nourish their souls.

The questions…my goodness, my daddy loved asking questions.  They always started out the same in these situations…”What is God doing in your life?  Do you have a relationship with Him?”.  A captive audience, with a clean body, fresh clothes and a hot meal, it was futile not to engage.

Dad had a way of connecting with people on a heart level that made them feel like the most important person.  His love for them and their eternal destiny was so great it just permeated the atmosphere around him.  Everyone felt it, even the most hardened of hearts…especially those actually!  He soooo loved people.

My earliest memories are those of dad working at Seagoville Federal Prison.  He would bring inmates on an outing to the park just down from our house.  They always made it back and there were never any issues.  Many of those men’s lives were eternally changed for having known my father…Reuben Alaniz, Paul Jones, Clyde Warner, Ricky Vasquez and countless others.

I remember others that would go and have coffee with my dad and they would talk for HOURS about God, His goodness and what He was doing in their lives…Clarence, Brother Richardson, Jim, Tony, Ricky, Gordon and so many more.

When dad went home, I remember being in awe of how many people said that he was their “best friend”.  I now know it is because five minutes with him was a life-time of friendship and an eternal link in this life’s journey.

I had someone tell me a couple of years ago that I have my dad’s gift of connection.  Knowing the moment that someone needs to be contacted.  I wasn’t sure about it until the severing of entanglements and piercing of the canopy at the #DreamTrip2017.  The prayer that was prayed and the release that followed is unlike anything I have experienced since his “homegoing”.

Waking in the wee hours of the morning in my youth, I could always hear my father calling on heaven to invade earth, while taking on principalities of darkness.  His prayers pleading for the covering and will of God for our lives.

They say that sound continues to travel even when it is out of our range of hearing.  The faithful, fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much.  Those prayers of my father echo around me today and are coming into full manifestation.

What my dad lacked in earthly wealth, he more than made up for in heavenly riches.  The inheritance that he left…it leaves me speechless!  It is my extreme honor and privilege to carry on that legacy and my prayer is that I do it well!!!

#AsOne

 

#DreamTrip2017 – Pinecones

If it is the truth that sets you free it is the lie that binds you!

Day one of the conference we spent time considering the biggest lies that the enemy has ever said to us.  Frankly, the examples given were just not mean, evil and sinister enough.  So the homework for the night was to think about the two biggest lies the devil’s told.

The thing that was just so amazing about the #DreamTrip2017 is that with every person I met there was an instant connection.  It’s like God orchestrated it or something!  🙂

In one of the last exercises for the day, I met D.  A few of us were going to dinner so I invited her along.  The plan was to take a quick break, meet in the lobby and head over the lakeside restaurant.

I sent her a text letting her know we were leaving and received one back indicating that she would not be able to join because she needed to complete the homework (the two biggest lies) and she really needed to contemplate them.  I immediately heard God say, it is really not that difficult, she’s thinking too hard.

On the way back from dinner, God told me to pick up a pinecone.  I thought it was for the dream doors that I build and didn’t think much of it.  Later that night, God told me to give it to D the next day and explain what the pinecone represents.

The pineal gland in our brains looks like the pinecone.  In many world religions, it represents the “third-eye” or spiritual illumination.  God is calling out truth to crush the counterfeits.  For those of us that are believers in Christ, the *truth* we know that this is really spiritual discernment through the Holy Spirit and having the “eyes” to see.

The next morning during praise and worship, God gave me a drawing for her and a message.  The core of what He was saying was to trust in Him, to hear His voice and to not have fear.  She knows what He is telling her and to not let self-talk get in the way.  There was more but this is the nutshell.

This was new for me!  To hear something from Him and then tell someone what was being said directly to them.  God is sooooo good in His grace!

When the praise and worship is done, I slid the pinecone and the drawing over to her and shared what everything means.  This is the amazing part…she tells me that pinecones are her favorite!  She had been telling her husband how she needed to pick up some pinecones because they were so big and beautiful!  She just loves pine trees!

The drawing was reflective of the location of the #DreamTrop2017 and what God had me tell her was on target and exactly what had been going through her head!

How awesome is that?!?  So not only did He want to speak her it was via one of her favorite things!!!  This is *true* love!!!

Every time I bask in all that God did on this trip, I am overwhelmed and humbled by His goodness and unconditional love for us!  I am in awe that He would use me in such a way!  My eyes spontaneously spring leaks of tremendous joy at His pursuit of our hearts and His deep desire to connect and walk in relationship!

#AsOne

#DreamTrip2017 – Beauty

It was the first day of the Mastermind sessions.  Those who were not attending were heading back home on that Monday.  Several of us had gathered there in the cafe reminiscing over the weekend and all that had transpired.  Excited about what had been revealed and released that weekend.

At one point in the conversation, one of the people there with us said that they needed to make sure they did everything to keep themselves beautiful.  This person is so beautiful and together.  She commented that we should all take care to look our best because God creates beauty, surrounding us by it!

This is soooo true!  From starting and ending the day with painted skies, the mountains, valleys, oceans, flowers, birds, animals…it’s endless!

She mentioned that people respond to beautiful differently.  You can see it in their eyes, the initial reaction.  We should be engaging people with the same level of beauty that Gods surrounds us with.

It really struck a chord in my heart, as I am the queen of *no makeup*!  I don’t look bad without it but I look oh so much better with it.

Beautiful is not all about looks.  I have seen some of the prettiest of people become horrid the minute they open their mouths.

Beauty is about putting your best self out there for people to see.  Making sure you are reflecting who God created you to be, for you are fearfully and wonderfully made.  In my case, the makeup certainly helps!

#AsOne

#DreamTrip2017

Wow!  Just Wow!!!

God is so good!  I am constantly humbled by His Grace and His Goodness!

This is the first installment…

I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I was meant to go on this trip.  The obstacles that popped up a long the way as an attempted deterrent were the proof that pushed me over the edge.  So much so that I opted to do the Master Mind as well.  The interesting thing about this is that I booked a couple of extra days simply thinking that I would use the time to absorb what I knew would be significant but not knowing that the Master Mind was the following two days!  Isn’t God awesome!?!

I build Dream Doors and in the weeks leading up to the trip, God gave me the makings of a “Mike” or “Michael” door in addition to one for Lance Wallnau.  The only thing that I had was that the name Mike or Michael would be significant to the person.  The objective was to have the door in hand but this didn’t happen.

The first night there at registration, I meet Dean Cartin rhymes with Martin.  He was the first person, associated with the #DreamTrip2017, with whom I shook hands and made direct eye contact.   Coming back from the dessert reception, I felt God tell me to ask Dean about the name Mike/Michael.  So the next morning I did and he told me it was his first name!  How awesome…I was overcome by emotion that God would orchestrate the door to be for the very first connection I make there!  AND to know that He had done so weeks before arrival!

God gave me the design for the door during the that first praise and worship that kicked off the conference.  I shared it with Dean and was overwhelmed and humbled that it was on target.  That God would use me…me…in such a way.

That afternoon, Dean prayed for me.  It is the first time in my life (ever) that I have seen it happen in the spirit!  As he prayed it played like a movie before my eyes.  I saw it all unfold right there.  The two significant parts that I will share with you now are the severing of the entanglements and the piercing of the canopy.

Entanglements:  Dean called out that there were entanglements that had occurred in my life which kept me from walking in all that God had for me and being where He’s called me to be.  When he said, “God we sever those entanglements” – I saw this hot, white, electric, silver, burning, alive sword sever a big vine and when it did the vine wound back through my entire life releasing that which was trapped.  Situations, people, things that I hadn’t thought of in years and some I don’t know that I would have recalled on my own.  There was A LOT around my father’s death!

Canopy: He then declared that there was a canopy over my life that was inhibiting the flow of heavenly communication.  Some passing through but a lot getting trapped.  What I saw were huge overarching spider webs.  Dean then called for the sword to pierce the canopy.  I saw that same sword come up from underneath and pierce the webs.  When it did there was this hot, bright, white sun/light that began to ignite the webs and like hair burning they were singed away to nothing, along with the spiders that had been weaving!

This totally released the gift and flow of the prophetic!  The clarity and the surety of God’s voice is now unmistakable.  The pictures (prophetic drawings) and words for people increased day over day.  He gave me a word of knowledge for healing.  He used me to bring about deep inner healing for someone.

I have thought about the lost time since my dad’s death in 1989.  Those entanglements and that canopy…  This is the year of restoration and restitution.  I am taking back territory and I am occupying!  No longer is there a hold over my life.

I am released and unleashed!  I am a lioness of the Lion of Judah and the enemy will know my ROAR!

#As One

Counterfeit

A counterfeit exists as an imitation of the truth.  The counterfiet must be so close to the real thing that it deceives everyone who is not an expert on the original.

This is one of the reasons why relationship with God is vital!  We must be able to distinguish the truth from the lie.  Depending on others to decipher God in your life is dangerous.  It means that you are counting on someone else to avoid manipulation and deceipt.

When you enter into a relationship you learn to recognize the other person – the sound of their voice, speech patterns, thoughts, ideals, those things that make them, them.  This is the same in knowing God;s voice in your life.

Don’t be a baby bird having others regurgitate what God is saying and having them spit into your mouth.  Learn to fly and find the *nourishment* for yourself.  God is just waiting for you so that He can deliver your mail…first hand!

Truth reveals the counterfeit…become an expert in Truth

Are you listening?

What some call coincidence I call divine!

God is always talking to us.  His desire for relationship is deep and everlasting.  He is creative in the attempts and his methods are diverse.   When we tune into the God channel, we will see, hear and feel it all around us!

I have a friend that had a real, He showed up in my car and I had to pull over, God encounter.  I get chill bumps on my chill bumps when I recount the details of that story.

I was having a little mental pity party one day thinking about this amazing God moment, longing for something similar to happen to me.  As I was lost in thought, she asked me if God ever talked to me.  I had to think about that for a bit.  Wanting to answer truthfully, it took me some time to respond.  My initial thought was something to the effect of…well, obviously not like He talks to you!

Then in a V8 moment, with a huge slap to the forehead, it hit me…He is talking to me ALL. THE. TIME.  No, it is not necessarily and audible voice in my head conversation.   It is that sudden burst of out of the blue thinking that solves the pesky, perplexing problem.  It is the clarity that arrives unexpectedly in a situation where all the puzzle pieces click together and you know without a shadow of a doubt the truth about what has transpired.  It is the discernment in a conversation where you know integrity and transparency are lacking.  It is the row of green lights when you are running behind.  It is the number you are given while waiting for your food to be prepared (the meaning of numbers is a complete blog in and of itself).  It is the still small voice of reason that reminds me the high road is always the course to take.  The examples are countless and ever-growing!

This was an amazing moment of realization for me!  How arrogant to think that all of these clever, creative, clarified, discerning moments were due to my genius alone!

God is all around us and is always talking!  Are you listening?

Three Years???????

Almost three years ago to the day (February 1, 2012), I began this blog.  I posted for about two months and then fell off of the blogging bandwagon.

I took a new job, relocated to another city and it became life consuming.  I also began the next chapter in this amazing God journey book.

As I sit here contemplating the time that has passed and the absence of writing, maybe there was more to walk through before continuing to share?  The past three years have been filled with lessons, provoking thoughts, new experiences, diverse people, opportunity, possibility, challenges, insight and sooooo much more.

My relationship has continued to deepen and reach new, never experienced before levels.  I am in awe of God’s goodness, gentleness and faithfulness!

My hope is that as I continue this adventure and share my heart, it is a blessing to those that intersect my path…whether passing through or getting messy and hanging in there for eternity.  Here is to an amazing expedition!!!

Passion

I was asked the other day if I thought that God decides your purpose or if you AND God determine your purpose.

Immediately, I was reminded of Psalms 37:4 where it says “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

I believe that God plants seeds of passion (gift, talent, desire) in our heart and that when we come into agreement with him, the desires are fulfilled.

God is our provider!  All provision comes from Him, which means that He is providing whether we are pursuing our dreams or stuck in the day to day grind we call a j.o.b.  When we align our hearts with His the doors that need to open swing wide in welcome and the doors that need to close slam shut.

Why don’t more people follow their heart’s desires?  Because it does not conform to society’s norms.

–  Do you know how many people try out for the NFL and never make it?  What makes you so special?

–  Artist?  There is not any money in at?  How are you going to pay your bills?

–  Music?  There are countless individuals trying to break into the industry!  Who is going to listen to you?

–  Acting, Broadway, Drama?  You are just another server, waiting tables hoping for a break!

–  You should focus on having a job that will pay your bills, build retirement, has benefits…

This is what the world has to offer but God says…Delight yourself in me and I will give you the desires of your heart!!!!

We were made for more than what the world sees or can even imagine.  There is a unique and specific purpose for which we are all created that only we can fill.  We should not accept what others speak over our lives, especially when it contradicts what we know in our heart!

When we allow our course to be altered from what God designed, a void is created.  However, just because you may have been blown off course does not mean that you cannot reach your destination!  Each moment is an opportunity to begin again, to take a step toward filling the void and passionately pursue the reason for which you were created!

He has no authority…

The other day I saw a social media post about the need to start having disagreements with the devil.  How we as Christians need to stop agreeing with him!

What?  Why would we be interested in anything he had to say?  Our conversations need to be with Jesus!  The devil has already been defeated!  He is powerless!  The only authority he is granted is that which is given.  Joseph Prince said it well when he said, “When you turn on the light, darkness will flee.”

It is impossible for darkness to exist in the presence of light!  So if you feel darkness closing in, turn on the light!  Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world!