This is what I’ve learned in the last couple of days:  rain can get a bad rap sometimes.  Ever heard the term, “when it rains, it pours”?  There it is right there rain getting a bad rap.

This last week I’ve been battling this dark cloud that I’ve ignored all year.  I was thinking about it in church on Sunday, this ominous thing that seems to have settled in over my head quite nicely, yet it is not so nice.

The Lord, thankfully, broke in on my thought process and said to me, “dark clouds produce rain, and the purpose of rain is to wash away, to refresh and renew”  wow.  Now I think I want it to pour when it rains, when I look at it within that context.  Refreshing and renewal. 

I looked up scriptures in the bible that talk about rain.  The majority of them are POSITIVE when talking about it.  There were a couple that talked about raining fire and brimstone, but that’s not the kind of rain we’re talking about here.   And of course one can’t forget the flood, and as a big of an inconvenience that was, the only ones that were affected by that were the non-believer’s, right? 

So here’s for your reading pleasure some good scriptures about rain.   All from the New Living Translation (best translation EVER!)

Proverbs 16:15 When the King smiles, there is life; his FAVOR REFRESHES like a SPRING RAIN-  I”ll take some of that!

Hosea 6:3 Oh that we might know the Lord!  Let us press on to know Him, He will respond to us surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of RAINS in early spring.

Joel 2:23  Rejoice, you people of Jerusalem!  Rejoice in the Lord your God!  FOR THE RAIN HE SENDS DEMONSTRATES HIS FAITHFULNESS!  Once more the autumn rains will come as well as the rains of spring!

Wow.  So here’s 3 good things right off the bat: 1.  When our King smiles, His favor rains on us, 2: When in the midst of the storm, we press in to know Him, He responds to us! 3. His rain demonstrates His FAITHFULNESS to us!

Now I know why the phrase “life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain” is so important!!!  If that’s what is raining in my life then I’ll dance until my feet fall off!

Tonight I was laying in bed reading a book I’ve probably read 5 times.

I had the TV on for background noise and I decided to stop and watch this movie that was coming on called “The Last Holiday” with Queen Latifah.  I’ve never seen it, and what really caught my attention was the “book of possibilities” that the character kept in a drawer in her kitchen. 

To say I was intrigued would be an understatement.  You see almost 3 years ago now I created what I call a “dream book”.  In it are pages of things that I love or that inspire me.  Pictures of places I want go, how I want to decorate my home.  Quotes.  Every page is a vision that the Lord has given me.  And He as of late has been urging me to add more.

Now back to the movie.  The basic premise is that this woman finds out through a fluke that she only has 3 weeks to live.  She quits her job, cashes in her life savings, her bonds and takes off on the vacation of a life time to Prague.  She learns how to snowboard.  She gets every kind of massage you can imagine, she meets people of “high caliber” and eats dinner with them every night.

She lives her life to the fullest.  With no regard of the risks she might be taking or even caring if she’s going to get hurt in the process.

Not that I want to spoil the movie for you, but it turns out she has been misdiagnosed.  Do you think she went back to the blase life she had before???  Heck no!  She continued to live her dreams out.  The most powerful picture at the end of the movie is her changing the title of her book from “Book of Possibilities” to the “book of REALITIES”  WOW! 

This movie had me going through my dream book again, and I decided to take pictures of some of the pages and the things on them.  I even have a whole “dream corner” in my room it has my book, a box full of things, and a sign about my favoritest place in the whole wide world.  I took a picture of that as well.

So here’s my question.  What is it that’s holding you back from dreaming?  Or if you are dreaming what is holding you back from stepping out into it??  Life is short people!  We don’t know how long we have!  DREAM BIG!  LIVE LARGE!!!!  GO FOR IT!!!!

A couple of blogs back I mentioned how in letting some things go I’ve become aware of this HUGE space that exists now.  More room for Him   He’s been faithful these last few days to give fresh revelation on some things.

On Sunday during worship I had a picture of a heart with many rooms in it.  Most of them looked clean, beautifully decorated, well furnished rooms.  But there was just this 1 room that was different from all the others.  We all have it.  You know the one that accumulates all the “stuff” that we don’t know what to do with, but aren’t quite sure we should let it go either.

When I saw this room I heard the Lord say, “it’s time to purge” I also heard Him say to lays aside “every encumbrance” to run the race, like Hebrwes 12:1 & 2 says.

The purpose?  To make more room for HIM

So today I decided to look up the word “encumbrance” in the dictionary and here’s the definition: something burdensome, useless, superfluous, hindrance.  In the Greek it means: Whatever is prominent.

Our pastor had a beautiful picture after I shared the word with our body, she saw us standing in the middle of our rooms with our stuff and we were just worshipping the Lord, as we worshipped all the “stuff” DISAPPEARED.  Wow.  See how much a difference there can be in just simply shifting your focus?

Be careful though, there was another word on Sunday that said that some were panicking because they couldn’t find their stuff.  Hey!  You don’t need it!  Let it go!  It was USELESS to you so DON’T PICK IT BACK UP!!!!  Amen??

I must decrease so He can INCREASE!!!!!!

Heather~

Yesterday I was reading a prophetic word by a man named Doug Addison and the Lord really spoke to me through this word about our 6 years of hell in Arizona.

You see I’ve always dismissed that time as needless suffering, and figured we deserved it because for the most part it was self-imposed.  We chose to move there.  Bad choices were made while we were there, it was just a colossal screw up really in the end.  There’s no way that the Lord could have been doing anything.  Granted there were hopeful moments like when we finally found a church after 2 years of wandering, but even that rug got pulled out from underneath us eventually.

I was wrong.

While I was reading this yesterday the Lord whispered to me, “Just because you think that Arizona was self imposed, doesn’t mean that I wasn’t working.  In spite of choices that you make, I can still work through them and in them and around them if necessary.”

Wow.  What a revelation.

Here’s what Doug had to say in the article that really ministered to me:

 

This is what I believe God is saying, “Just as suddenly as things changed and were cut off in 2005, I am now renewing and reviving situations—suddenly! I am parting the Red Sea once again and making the impossible possible. Watch Me, and give Me glory as your life and ministry are restored and renewed in this very hour.”

Prayer: “God, awaken us to what You are doing in our lives right now. Give us eyes to see and ears that can hear what You are doing. Amen.”

So is there and area in your life that you’ve dismissed as time wasted and thought there was no way God could have possibly been doing anything??

Don’t be to surprised if the Lord shows you someday what was really going on behind the scenes.  He is always, ALWAYS doing something!!!!

 

Last weekend I had the awesome privilege of going to a place that holds my sweetest childhood memories, the family cabin in Big Falls, Minnesota. I spent probably half, if not ¾ of my life there up until the age of 13. If you were to ask me at any point in time in my life what exactly represented normalcy, the cabin would be the picture I’d paint for you.

On Saturday night I decided to go for a walk around the field and I was plugged into my MP3 player and I was just worshipping the Lord. And I was just talking to Him and telling Him how grateful I was to get to be there, and I prayed and dedicated all the land and the cabin to Him and declared his rule & reign over the land, so that He could do with it as He pleases.

At one point I was kneeling in the middle of the field and I heard the voice of the Lord say, “I want you to let this place go, Heather” at first I was stunned. Then I was sad. Then I obeyed.

The Lord has done this with me a lot this summer. I’ve had to lay a lot of stuff down that’s important to me. The cabin was easier than I expected it to be. I’ve learned something about myself this summer too in the process of laying things down. Most people say when they let something go they feel lighter or freer. Not me. I suddenly become aware of this huge space that didn’t exist before. Not a hole or a void cause those are painful. Just space, more room for Him to be exact, and that’s all I ask for is more of Him.

So has the Lord asked you to let go of something lately? Have you done it? What’s holding you back if you haven’t?

Picture an attic that’s just full of stuff. There’s no room for anything else, but people still try and shove things in any place they can until it’s uncomfortable or it overflows into another part of the house, and then when they need something they can never find it.

This can apply to our lives in so many ways. Not just in a physical sense, but in a spiritual sense too. What is a gift you earnestly desire? Is it love? Is it faith? What is it that you have to let go of in order to receive those things? Think about it this week. There isn’t anything worth holding on to especially if it’s not healthy for you. He has such better things to give you, if you’ll let go and be open to Him!

With love, Heather~

This week for the first time in over 3 years I am going to a place that holds my GREATEST childhood memories.  Our family cabin in Big Falls, MN.  By our family I mean the Bauer clan.  This cabin was built by my grandfather when my Dad was around 5 I think.  It is smack dab in the middle of some of the prettiest forest you will ever see!

It’s changed some over the years.  It didn’t have electricity until I was around 15.  It didn’t have running water until about 2 years ago, and it’s now red instead of brown and it has a new roof.  Not bad for a cabin that’s been around for 50 years.  But one thing hasn’t changed and that is my memories of a time when life was carefree and fun.

This week my goal is to reclaim that carefree feeling.  I’ll be going with my Grandma, my cousin and my aunt.  I’m really looking forward to my time with them.  I’m looking forward to tooling around in the woods on the 4 wheeler.  I’m super excited about the pictures that are waiting to be taken with my digital camera of the surrounding beauty.  I hope to see a bear.  Some deer and a fox.  A Lumberjack and a chickadee and a blue jay, and finches (those are birds).

This is a real opportunity as well to just CHILL.  No agenda.  Lots of laughing. A good glass of wine.  Hot coffee.  Spam.  Pancakes.  Washing the dishes that have been in the cabinets since the cabin was first built

I could go on and on, but I think you get the point.  Life doesn’t get much better than that in the natural sense.

But even more than all those great things, I really sense the Lord has something  more for me in that place.  I am anticipating some sweet time with Him in the woods.  No unnecessary noise.  Just me, just Him.  How sweet!

Keeping yesterday’s blog in mind I’ve decided to paste the lyrics to the old hymn “HIs Eye Is On The Sparrow”  It was written in 1905 by a man named Charles H. Gabriel. 

1. Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
   Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
   When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
   • Refrain:
     I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
     For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
2. “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
   And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
   Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
3. Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
   When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
   I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
   His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

 

Pretty powerful lyrics, no?  You know what amazes me about it?  They were true in 1905 and they are STILL TRUE in 2009!  I love that!

I had an unusual encounter with a Sparrow today.  And this is not the first time in my life that’s happened.

1st sparrow encounter:  It was 2003 and we were in Arizona at the time.  I got a phone call from Mom with the horrible news that my dad had been diganosed with stage 4 lymphoma.  At the time they were in Spain.  The chances of me being able to even go see my Dad were 0.  I didn’t know if I would ever see him again.  They day after I get this phone call, a sparrow came flying into my house and made itself a lovely little perch on one of my picture frames.  For hours.  I could not get him to leave my house to save my life.

I heard in my head a voice that said “His eye is on the sparrow”  for me it was a sign from God himself that Dad was going to be ok.

Sparrow incident #2:  It’s 2009.  This afternoon I’ve had some time to myself.  The kids are gone and Jon is in the mountains.  I had been shampooing the carpet and I decided to open the front door and get a good look outside. 

As I opened the door I look down.  There on my little welcome mat there’s a sparrow.  He turns around to look at me.  The look on his face is one of surprise and wonder.  Like if he could take he would say, “What are you doing standing there?”  He then flits across my porch and goes and sits on a rail and just looks at me.  Like he’s waiting to see what I would do.

I had my cell phone and tried to take a picture, but the second I moved to do it he flew up into the tree.

So what is the reason for this sparrow today?  Since I don’t get a face to face with a sparrow very often I decided there was some significance to the event.

I posted the incident on my facebook and one of my bestest facebook buddies posted a scriputre that really spoke to me in Matthew 10:29-31:

29:Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.

30And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.

31So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows.

You know why I needed to be reminded of that?  Because my faith has waned of late.  This morning when I was driving I told the Lord how much I loved Him and I had to really repent for my lack of faith.   I love Him.  So much.

I hate it when my sight gets dimmed by the natural things.  I know what God has said and what He has promised.  I know that His word declares that He is Faithful and He will bring that to pass those things that I have entrusted to Him.

For those of you who missed the day retreat I am going to share with you, what the question of the day was, and I’d like to ask you a favor as well:  before you read the rest of the devotional I want you to really ponder the question and have an answer before you read the rest!  FYI- I might not know that you decided not to answer and continued to read, BUT GOD DOES and this is really something He is wanting to convey to us right now, so PLEASE really think about it!

 

Here’s the question:  Where do you spend most of your time, energy, resources and thoughts, in the past, present, or future?

 

Pause……………………………………………………………………………….

 

Do you have an answer yet?  Here I’ll tell you mine if that will help.  I spend most of my time in the future.  The past isn’t worth reliving, and sometimes the present is just too monotonous.

 

Someone I know (and you know who you are, and you really helped me BTW) put it another way:  Are you a “enjoy the journey” person, or a “destination” person?

 

So yesterday in church during worship, while we were singing “How He Loves”  there’s a line in that song (it’s my favorite) that says, “I don’t have time to maintain these REGRETS, when I think about the way, He loves us”  the Lord just major dropped something in my spirit He said, “There are people here who live in their past filled with regret”  I began to pray immediately that the Lord would just open hearts to receive His love and that their regrets about the past would just be washed away by His amazing love!

 

A little while later we were signing another song and we sang this line, “My kingdoms fall, I lay my all, before your throne”

 

AGAIN the Lord showed me something so POWERFUL that it needs to be shared.

 

Past, Present, and Future, these are all kingdoms in our lives.  But there is a kingdom that won’t end, right?

 

Let’s just take a look at the actual word “kingdom” literally translated it means the “King’s domain”

 

So what does our King’s domain look like?  According to Romans 14:17, His kingdom is: RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, and JOY in the Holy Spirit.

 

In Luke 12:31 He says to seek FIRST His kingdom and all these things will be added to you.

 

Now, based upon which kingdom you live in (Past, Present, Future) how does that line up with His kingdom?????

Here’s how it should look:  You take that from your past that is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, and you LIVE IN IT in the PRESENT, and you CARRY IT with you into the FUTURE!!!!!!

 

Sounds like that would be an AMAZING place of trust and rest, don’t you think????

 

For those of you that missed, you will get your refreshing!  One of our goals as we came off the mountain was to impart what we received.  So be open to receive!!

 

Praying for that refreshing rain to just pour on you all!

 

Heather~

Well it’s 4:25 am and I just had an epiphany of sorts, but in order to arrive to it I”m gonna have to tell a story.

I was born in the early 70’s.  The tail end of an era in the church called “The Jesus Movement” which in actually started around ‘68-’69.  Obviously the late 60’s were a turbulent time in our country, much like now, and people were looking for answers, much like now.

In this time frame a movie was made called “Like A Thief In The Night” and a sequel was made as well.  The basic premise is this young lady is left behind after her husband gets taken away in the rapture.  She eventually finds Jesus and quite literally loses her head for her refusal to take the mark of the beast.

Ok fast forward to around 1979-1980.  I was 6/7 and I am at a church watching this film (are you getting that I might be a little young to be watching a film where people’s heads are being cut off, yet?)

Enter:  massive spirit of fear, to the point that ANY discussion on the topic sends me into a panic attack like you wouldn’t believe.

So around a month ago this fear really comes to a head so to speak.  A prophetic word instigated it this time.  Mind you it had been well over a year since I had dealt with this fear in particular, and apparently it felt the need to make up for lost time.

The word sent me into a tailspin that I don’t know if I’ll ever really be able to wrap my brain around it.  All I know is that I was literally curled up in a ball in bed for 2 days, not capable of breathing very well, and feeling like there was a huge hole in my chest, and the pain of it, wow, it really quite literally took my breath away.  Talk about feeling like you are in a deep pit!

My husband, bless his heart really honestly didn’t know what to do. He was threatening to call people.  I didn’t even go to church (if I don’t go to church, it’s pretty bad, I don’t miss church!) after I missed church, friends were calling, I wouldn’t answer the phone,  I wouldn’t even talk to my own parents!

Finally somewhere around late afternoon Sunday it dawns on me that there is no legitimate reason for me to be this afraid.  That and the pain in my chest was so bad I thought I was literally going to die.

My best friend calls, I decide to answer, somehow in the course of the conversation, I decided I could text my other friend (who at this point is considerably worried about me) and let her know what’s going on.  She encouraged me to go down to my parents and get some ministry and get free from this thing.

So I did.  I won’t lie to you, the process was grueling.  It was a battle of epic proportions.  After it was over, I could breathe, and there was no pain in my chest, and I was FREE!  I have been fine ever since, and anytime the topic has come up it doesn’t phase me

Now on to the epiphany.  I’ve been up thinking about why I have always had,( how do I word this without sounding a like a psycho?) a propensity towards violence.  I’m one of those rare female’s that LOVE action flicks, especially the ones that invovle kicking butt and taking names on behalf of someone that is being brutalized or victimized in a really awful way.  Like the movie “Taken” for example, it’s in my top 10 of best action flicks.  Daddy going in and crackin skulls and breaking necks to get to his litle girl.  And I LOVE all the “Transporter” movies with Jason Statham.

I figured out what it is about these movies that draws me to them: These guys are cool, calm, and collected in a crises.  There is NO FEAR when it comes to doing what they have to do.  I want to be like that.  I don’t want to be the “freaker outer” in a crises.  I want to be able to handle it like they do, cool, calm and collected.

But here’s what I’ve figured out.  In my own natural self, I am not capable of that.  Sure it’s a little easier since I don’t have that monkey on my back anymore so to speak, but I still have to learn that Jesus in me is most certainly capable of that.  If in that moment I turn to Him and trust that He’s going to handle it or He’s going to show me how to handle it.

It’s so good to know that Jesus is not a “freaker outer”, and neither is God!

The bible says that “perfect love casts out fear” the most perfect love in the universe is the love of my Father for me.  I believe that as my soul gets more settled in that, it’s going to get better.  The Lord on Sunday gave me an AMAZING revelation on this.  This is what He told me, “Heather, there has not been one day of your life, not one minute, and not one second, from the time of your conception, that you have been apart from my love for you”

How can you argue with that?  Jesus and I talk all the time, but every now and then I hear my Father speak to me.  And when He does, the truth of what He is saying literally goes right into my spirit and I can honestly say that “It is well with my soul”