What Faith Can Do

A lot of times I crave a life full of adventure and excitement. When I look back at the times when I was consumed with this desire to live a life that was bigger and better than I could ever have imaged, I realize that they were all precurses to a tremendous test of faith from the Lord.

Times like when I became a Christian, when I graduated high school and moved to a Christian camp for a summer, when I left the Christian college I was attending, and when I packed two suitcases and bought a one-way plane ticket to Colorado Springs...

Or when I needed $2500 overnight in order to still go on my missions trip, or flew to Jordan, Nepal, Thailand.... Man, did God show Himself faithful!

Since my time in YWAM I think I have experienced a different type of the faith building process. It's the side of faith that requires us to be steadfast and focused on building our character. In fact, it's the side of faith that takes more than just a hunger to see Christ, but instead a burning desire to become like Christ. To continue to ask the Holy Spirit to dig deep into the depths of my heart, mind and soul to give me the faith to believe that He is in the midst of developing me and refining me.

See my life isn't full of the ups and downs and a lot of unknowns like it used to be. When I start to become discontent I remember that I am where God has me for now and it still requires a tremendous amount of faith to trust that you are hearing and walking with the Lord, when you aren't seeing Him move in miraculous ways.

Please listen to this song and as you do, it is my prayer that you too would remember that your faith can move the mountains and that whether you are packing your bags to move over seas or feeding a new born baby... your faith is precious and God knows exactly where you are at and why.




Brandy

What a sweet reminder

This morning I read through John 15. The first 11 verses seemed to jump off the page at me, every line was alive. Whether it was a reminder of my amazing Lord and Savior, or of how I should be thinking and living my life. Take a read...

John 15

Jesus Is the Vine—Followers Are Branches

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. 9 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

For right now I just want to point out verse 2. I know we want the word Every to not mean what it means; however, I am pretty sure God does not discriminate towards the branches (things, relationships, and desires of my heart) that don't produce the fruit that glorifies His name. No matter what it takes, he extracts it from our lives because He knows the true pain that it will cause to us in the long run. It's this verse that I feel most awe struck by. How painful the extraction is but how much beauty comes with the finished product. Think of the big picture!

So, friends, as you live through this day it is my prayer that you would allow the true vine and My Father the vinedresser, to prune you into a beautiful masterpiece. Know that His love will heal your wounds and will draw you closer to His amazing strength in order to get through the pruning process. Don't try to live this life on your own, trust Him and He will show himself so faithful to you. Thanks for walking this road with me. May we all desire the things that bring Him most glory.