The Lion "waked up"
Photo by Joel Hezog
In my previous post, I shared with you how I was leading my kids in dreaming big with God for this coming year. I would like to share what lead up to that conversation. After putting my four incredible treasures to sleep I found myself on my living room floor crying out to God from the depths of my soul which was full of discontentment and hunger.
My Prayer
I cried out saying,
“I don't want to settle for less than what you have died to make available! I don't want to settle for less than what's on your heart for me. Give me the courage to step out into the best of who you made me! I want to do so much and yet I don’t know where to start. I feel like I have a LION inside that wants to come OUT. I feel hungry for the more! I want to live in such a way where His presence is always my priority. I want to have a clear vision for my life."
I felt a response of overwhelming delight from the heart of the Father. He loves devotion and extravagant surrender from His children! He loves to see our thinking change! He wants His thoughts to be our thoughts!
My little prophet
The following morning was New Years Service and one of the words the pastors released for the year was that it was time for the “Lion to Arise!” What?!? Now, this really got my attention! I felt a strong stirring in my heart, a huge anticipation that the Lord is on the move. Excitement and a trembling came over me. About two weeks later on another Sunday morning while getting ready, I was in the bathroom doing my hair and listening to a book titled, “Face to Face with God” on Audible. All of a sudden I began to weep. Ezra, my three year old who was sitting on the counter beside me started asking, “Mommy, why are you crying?” I answered, “Oh sweetheart Jesus is just touching my heart.” Then he looked back at me while, turns my face towards his and says,
“Mommy that’s not why you're crying! You're crying because the LION WAKED UP!”
This gave me goosebumps, “is that what happened?” I said with tears in my eyes. Children and their simple insight astound me. I love when the Lord uses them to speak to me! The Holy Spirit has been underlining this phrase to me ever since. I’ve been challenged to really seek the Lord on what it is He is asking me to do and actually do it, without giving room to fear or hesitation. I want to have a childlike faith and a radical obedience, to be willing to do things that are outside the grid of my norm. I don’t want to ignore the unction of the Holy Spirit or ignore His tugging on my heart, rather I want to be kept accountable in stepping out on the words He speaks to me.
New Season of Risk
Haiti is one of the things that I felt the Lord calling us to in this season. I strongly feel that this is a beginning of a new season for our family, something defining. We have stepped into this year on the other side of fear with courage and anticipation equipping ourselves and believing the Lord to show Himself faithful. We have seen an accelerated growth in our hearts. This makes me so excited to see what the Lord will reveal on this great adventure.
In reality, it’s not about how strong you are, it’s about how powerful God who is in you. He doesn’t need you to prove yourself He just needs you to trust in Him. He doesn’t need you to defend Him He can defend Himself, honestly faith stands on the shoulders of trust. Love is fearless and sees beyond what is tangible. Surrender is a natural response to true love.
Comfort kills more dreams than failure ever will!
Great things come when we take a leap outside of the familiar. God is always outside of the boxes that we create for ourselves waiting for us with an unlimited supply of all that we may need. When He calls us out, He doesn’t leave us stranded. He is a good Father who is faithful to see us through. “It is only in facing your fears that they can be conquered and our destiny captured.” (Kris Vallotton) God knows what He made you for. Trust His leadership and His ability to orchestrate your steps! His thoughts toward you are greater than the number of sand! Can you even imagine that?!
Lord reveal to us the mysteries of all that you have in your heart towards us, of all that you see when you look at me. I know Your thoughts are higher than mine. Help us to think like you think, to see like you see, and have the courage to rise to the potential and position you are calling us to.
This is the year of no hiding, no more taming the Lion inside you. This is the year that you discover the uniqueness of the voice the Lord has given to you, and learn how to use it. Have courage, no more walking in fear. Fear is only there to rob you. Fear is only but a shadow of or a reflection of satan’s fear of you, fear of you knowing who you truly are. So who’s shadow will you allow to overshadow you. The Lion knows who He is!