It’s Time to Fly

How to overcome the fear and learn to fly

Written by Remaliah Evans

This cartoon made me laugh (a lot) because this little bird has probably been learning to fly for some time now, yet she is afraid to fly without her parachute even though SHE HAS WINGS! Like this yellow bird, I have everything I need to do what God had created me to do. The bird was created to fly and I was created to write. Like the yellow bird, I have been practicing, writing, editing, journaling, reading books and articles about writing, and taking writing courses. Still, I have been afraid to take flight and write the book.

My parachute was writing school. I wanted to go a particular writing school for years. I applied and was rejected, and this year the program closed. The plan was to write the book AFTER I graduated writing school. I could go to another writing school, however I probably won’t because I believe that it is time to take off the parachute and simply write. The yellow bird has wings that empower her to fly, and I have the Holy Spirit who empowers me to write. So no more parachute. I am taking it off, and for accountability purposes, I am letting y’all know that I am writing and finishing my book by the end of 2015. It is time to fly.

There are other areas in my life where I have been trained, I have had a great deal of practice and yet I insist on keeping my parachute, crutches, floaties, and training wheels. Why? Because I am scared. Scared to mess up, scared of looking stupid, scared that I will fail. Scared that I might actually succeed and not be able to live up to someone’s expectations. Want to know something ridiculous? I used to fear that my first book would make Oprah’s book club, then my second book would be a flop, and I would become a one-hit wonder. What’s with all this fear? Much of the fear stems from insecurities and some of it comes from the enemy’s mission to convince me that I am not good enough and that I am not worthy. Sadly, I have spent more time dwelling on these lies, than believing God’s written truth.

I went to conference earlier this year and learned an important principle: we must come out of agreement with lies and anything contrary to God’s word. Then we can obtain freedom from fear and bondage. As such, when I hear the thoughts “I am unworthy, I can’t do this” I need to make a conscious decision to reject these lies and declare the truth. The truth is that I am worthy because Jesus Christ chose to die for me for me so that I could be a daughter of God. I can succeed because He has already declared in Isaiah 41:10 that I am not to fear because He is with me, and I am not to be dismayed because He is my God. He will strengthen me and help me and uphold me with His righteous right hand.

Ladies, the Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives within us. Let’s take off the parachutes and fly!

Do Your Homework

7 Practical Ways to put God first in Your Life

Written by Kim Gutierrez

Do you remember the days when you would come home from school and your parents made sure you did your homework first before you played outside? Now-a-days playing outside seems so archaic, like really…walk outside right now do you really see kids playing outside?
Not many!
Well anyways, when I started to think about “Do your homework first” I thought about all the things I’d like to do for the Lord, bible school, memorize more scripture, post more frequent on my blog, and get involved in a critique group and the list goes on. My problem is when to do it, my days seem so full. I’m sure a lot of you feel the same way. How can we possibly squeeze in another thing to our schedules?
My prayers have been “Lord, tell me what I should be doing and when.”
The answer was…”Do your homework first!”
“Oh yeah!” I answered quickly.
I was always pretty good about doing that as a kid, so I should have no problem doing it as an adult right? Wrong! Nowadays we have so many more distractions! We have our cell phones, IM, emailing, texting, facebook, twittering and thousands of tv channels!
I’m going to date myself but when I was a kid we had 12 channels, and a corded phone that barely reached around the kitchen wall enough for me to say “I’ll talk to you tomorrow at school.” and to play outside was a privilege I didn’t want to jeopardize.
So now I’m being asked to go back to when I was a kid and Do my Homework first? What does that mean to me? It means to me that the Lord is saying “do it FIRST!”
I’m taking this as a challenge!
Matthew 6:33 (Amplified Bible)
But seek ([a]aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness ([b]His way of doing and being right), and then all these things [c]taken together will be given you besides.
Challenge?
The challenge is to daily do that what the Lord has called me and you to do FIRST,
then do everything else after!

Now I’m not saying go quit your day job…but here are some examples I can think of:
Let your Instant Message be to God first
Don’t read your emails till you’ve read the bible
Don’t change your status on facebook till you know your status with Him
Don’t follow someone else on twitter, unless you follow Him first!
Wake up earlier if you don’t have time in the day.
Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
Put aside time at night, instead of watching TV for a couple hours.
Study the word of God for the same amount of time it takes you to put on your makeup

I know that if we seek him first he will be so excited, remember he is a jealous God and He Loves You!
Can you think of anymore ideas that could help someone seek God first?
What do you do, Homework first or Play first and how do you plan on changing that?

You can read more of Kimmy’s thoughts here.

Limitless

How God causes us to take Quantum Leaps in our Development

Written By Lynn Waters

It has been six weeks since our Limitless Conference, and I am still so appreciative of this time well spent. I arrived to the conference early along with many others who were excited and ready to help. Several cars worth of equipment and supplies were unloaded as we headed into the conference area. Teams of women were decorating and within minutes the centerpieces and table settings were in place, and stunning.

There was such togetherness. It was as though we were of one mind: to make the day the best ever. We all worked and set up everything in record time. Then, with tired feet, I sat in the room before the conference began and just enjoyed being there. As I looked around the room, I noticed a small detail. The beautiful flower pots and the napkins matched. Did any of you notice this? I will remember this thoughtful gesture. I had already found out that my favorite duet was going to be sung. I had asked God for that song to be sung at the conference and God answered my prayer. I had heard the first soprano and alto sing it before and I had gotten goose bumps on my arms when I heard it. The singers were anointed. So I was sitting there anticipating the song that I call the “Jabez Song” because it talks about widening your tent pegs and being limitless. I felt this was the best Life Builder Conference we have ever had.

The guest speaker discussed the term “quantum leap,” explaining that quantum leap occurs when an electron appears to “get excited” and BAM leaps to the next level within in an atom. To me the atom is God and we are the little electrons, running around and around until we gain energy then we BAM jump to a new level in God. How do we run around and get energy? We do this by focusing on God, studying our Bible and praying. As we spend our day focusing on God and His goodness, we gain energy and BAM move to a new level with God. As we focus on the goodness of God and not on our problems, we get a new perspective. We move higher, our problems get smaller, and we experience less stress.

As we get higher and higher, we BAM experience that joy that only comes from God. We don’t have the perspective of a turkey anymore. Instead, we go higher and higher and BAM we start seeing things from the perspective of an eagle. We become an eagle Christian. We begin to see our lives from the Father’s perspective. We change, our families change and our whole lives change.

If you have ever been with someone that has the joy of the Lord, you know it is from the inside and the person glows with God’s light. This joy affects all those around them. I have never seen her in person, however Heidi Baker has this joy emanating from her. It is not what she is doing- going to the wilds of Africa, setting people free, and introducing Jesus to them- it is that she is connected to God all the time. When you get this joy, this connection, it does not necessarily guarantee you a missionary trip to a remote area, however it does mean that you will mount up with wings as eagles. And BAM you will move higher and do what God wants YOU to do: what you were created to do. You will be who He has created you to be.

There is joy and overpowering gladness that envelops every cell of your being when discovering your identity in Christ. You begin to shed the negative self-perception, and others can no longer dictate your identity, potential, or worth. Suddenly, you are free to live limitlessly. Then no matter where you go, you bring people to a saving knowledge of God, heal, and set people free. At the grocery store, work, wherever you go, God will bring someone to you that needs Him. BAM you have a new life full of fun and adventure. Life is never dull for a Christian.

There is no way we can lose when we focus on God and His goodness. God is intoxicating and when you start spending time with Him, you will never want to leave His presence.

Looking in the Mirror

What does God see when He looks at you?

Written by Yvonne Galindo

Research indicates that 80% women over the age of eighteen who look at themselves in the mirror are unhappy with what they see.When you look in the mirror what do you see?
This is what I saw:
I am a dark Hispanic woman and because of my dark skin growing up I was called the “N” word. My mom would always say “stay out of sun or you’ll get darker”. I also have a pretty unique nose. I was nicked name “Pampa Nose” – didn’t think that word existed but it does. Pampa means ‘plain”. I am far from plain that’s for sure! For years I hated going out in the sun and hated my nose. I basically hated everything about myself. Parents are the prime shapers during the growing period of lives. Growing up, my mother spoke things to me that made me question the way I looked. Looking back, I believe in my heart she in no way meant to harm me. She was naïve to the fact that I was created by the Almighty.
According to His Word in Psalms 139: 13 “Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking”!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made! That amazes me! From the time of conception, I was created in the image of His beauty. WOW! We must recognize that schools, churches, society, and our peers also play an important role in our identity. Be wise and surround yourself with those that will encourage, declare and affirm all that God has for you.
Viola Davis from the movie “The Help’ said it best telling this young child “You is kind, You is Smart, You is Important”. All we hear on television and read about in magazines is about self-image. The key is NOT to work on your self-image but to work on your character from the inside – out! There is a song from Hillsong United which one of the verses states Consume me from the inside out, Lord! We as women continually judge ourselves by what we see, how we look, what we wear and fall short. I recently struggled with my weight and went through a rough patch. Well that didn’t last! Why because I know better. I changed my attitude about things. (self-control) When we allow God to invade us with his love, kindness, courage and beauty when we see ourselves in the mirror we will not see what the world says we should be but we will see who God says we ARE!.
Remember working on YOU from the inside out; will manifest externally. 3 John 1:2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. God is your Health Spa; he will redeem, restore and rejuvenate. Don’t ever forget that you are “fearfully and wonderfully made your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalms 139: 14
Declare and Affirm
“I like myself”
“I am a positive person and I create a positive life”
“I am a wonderful person of immense value who deserves to be loved”

For More from Yvonne Galindo, please visit her blog.