Unexposed Heart Revealed Has Never Had a Greater Meaning, Until Now

Spurred within my heart to write something lately.
Then it occured to me, Christmas is upon us, Write about Christmas.
But I can assure you dear reader, that how it begins, is not how its going to end. Hold on for the revelation, will you?

My heart has been longing to go home, to Trinidad and Tobago that is. Or perhaps New York.
Where the sun and breeze blossom, but most importantly, where my family is. Where I have been longing to be all year. Where parang and the smell of ham fills the air in this season. But to my demise. I am in Atlanta. Nonetheless, this too, is home. At least its what I've made it. I love this place for it is where I have felt great embrace from more than these words can explain.  Family, Friendships, Growth, and the not so good. 

I've been tempted to think that Christmas is Only about being with my family, or receiving that thing I want that will make me happy but I've been reminded to keep my eyes fixed on the hope that is to come.  That hope, dear ones, is Christ. See while He already came, He is coming again. And all the hoorah about the world coming to an end is a big joke when you know the truth.  But I'm sure that is offensive to God. Offensive to think that others could determine what begins and what ends.

Reminded in this moment, that one cannot know more than the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. For even though God knows the Beginning and the End, He also knows the now. He knows our needs, our wants, our hurts, our desires, our goals, our failures, our successes and details about our beating heart that we don't understand.

The past week and a half, the details about my beating heart that I did not understand, reared its head. It left me feeling exposed. And though, it may not have been a bigger deal to everything outside my heart, my heart was still brutally aware of what was happening to it.

You see it was being refined, to be as pure gold. To be as it should be. But I will pause to say, there is more fire to be held to it. You see God wants to use the REAL us, not the FAKE us. Thanks to a message by Pastor Carl of Hillsong, NY, this truth has indeed awakened me. Awakened me to the freeing truth that what's in us that hurts us and can hurt others and it must be dealt with. It can be dealt with in two ways. One, with you and the Holy Spirit or two, through circumstance.  If I were you, I'd choose the first. Unfortunately for me, I subconsciously, unintentionally chose the latter. Hence leaving me "exposed".

Heh, It's dealt with though. Though I've wished to myself that it didn't happen by His grace. I embraced an issue that needed to be embraced so I can further walk into my destiny. This awakening showed me more than I could ever have imagined. It helped me understand why I couldn't go to South Africa this summer and why I am the way I am. hmmm...

A sister shared with me truth that I needed to hear, not what I wanted to hear. And that made all the difference. If you are the one who needs to share truth with a loved one or a stranger take the chance. If you are the one who needs to embrace truth from someone, embrace it. Yes it will hurt, but you will come out as refined gold. 

Here is the thing about gold, its rea and its usable! It's unique, has qualities of integrity, malleable (capable of being shaped or formed) and has lasting value. It Can been tested and Can be put to the fire.

"But He knows the way I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold."
 Job 23:10

Love, peace, grace and mercy
Remember, we are His hands and feet. If the world needs love, then the world needs God. And people my friends matter to God. Every last one of us matter.

Renee Jael



Citations:
http://www.thegoldstandardnow.org/key-blogs/1483-the-unique-qualities-of-gold
http://www-v1.amnh.org/exhibitions/gold/incomparable/properties.php

Significance

Our fight to find significance in what we do and what we are gifted in wars against the truth that we are significant because we ARE His and what He called us to do is significant because He called us to do it.

The fight then continues when we are caught up in doing, rather than being. And if we fail and falter, Jesus is able to wash us gently, His bride with the water of the word and of course Still love us.  We, humans, are often like babies that are learning to walk. We fall while trying, at least I do, but we get up and try again. And if we are criticized because others don't see it the way God has called us to, then that's ok.  


We are created in Christ Jesus for good works that He prepared before hand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8

Sew because you can, teach because you can, write because you can, model because you can, dance because you can, draw because you can, preach because you can, paint because you can, practice law because you can, practice medicine, politics and any other passion that is given to you, because our gifts surely are only because God has given them to us.  Though, don't do it for selfish gain because then its for self glorification.  For to Him alone belongs glory and honor and praise. 

And if you are struggling with what you believe and who you believe in, and how committed you can be to Jesus, that's ok, its human. But what is also human, is our need to be loved and wanted. The need to be forgiven, we, myself included needs a Savior, someone to save me from my mess ups, daily. To free me from condeming myself for my wrongs. And to give me hope.  Jesus, is able to love you and want you and heal you, when life throws up on you, if it hasn't, it will.

James 1: 2-8
 My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything. 5 But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind 7. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 since he is a double-minded individual, unstable in all his ways.


And to this post that I wrote, glory to Him who wants you and I do it as if doing it unto Him who is passionate about every gift, expecting a return for all He has given.

 Matthew 25:13-30
http://bible.org/seriespage/parable-talents-matthew-2514-30-luke-1912-28

 The return does not have to only be in finances but in bringing others into His presence, loving on those that are hurt and leading them to Jesus. That is far more greater than the rewards on this earth, for then it's more about others than yourself. More about God than about other's criticism and judgements. That's courage.


Live, because you are alive. and everything you do, do it for Him.

Renee Jael

Yup! He loves Me!

Bags: check
Wake my ride: check
Rip my luggage while zipping it: check
Re-pack:check
Miss the train: check
Meet a really nice lady on the train to the airport and invite her to Victory: check
Walk by the extremely long security line on my way to check in: check
Wait for what seems like forever to get checked in and think about the other long line I have to wait in: check
Check in for my flight: check
Just happen to receive directions to a way shorter security line: check
Arrived in NY safely:CHECK

Well, not everything goes as planned.
But I chose to see the love and favor of God, regardless. I smiled when I got to the shorter security check point. I thought to myself, God really is in my corner, He really loves me.

This may seem minute, but it's a big deal! Waiting in the longer line meant the possibility of missing my flight. Missing the earlier train meant, missing an opportunity to share Jesus with my new friend who also happened to miss the earlier train. It also presented the possibly of getting directed to the longest security line I've ever seen at the airport.

All these simple events that at one point seemed inconvenient, actually turned out for my good.

My life is a tad bit more complicated than I would like it to be. Oh well. It's working out for my good because I love my heavenly Father and have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Sometimes our brains get confused about who's purpose and plan should succeed.

I have So much to have faith for in the coming months, a great sister just told me, let God do it His way.


Man plans his way but the Lord directs his paths. Proverbs 16:9

And How beautiful it is for His plans to succeed!

Grace, mercy and peace to you.
Love
Renee Jael

Jesus: A Hope dealer

In light of the season I'm in. Hope is my rock.

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. (Hebrews 11:1 NLT)

A common saying, hope deferred makes the heart sick. Tis true, for "if the enemy has our hope, he has our faith."-Troy Maxwell

"Satan doesn't (only) want our finances, or things. He wants our hope."-Troy Maxwell

"Faith is the substance of things HOPED for.." Hebrews 11:1(NKJ)

The absence of hope gives permission to depression, doubt, fear, stagnancy and sadness.

In yesterday's sermon, the visiting pastor, Troy Maxwell, stated, "Jesus is a Hope dealer"

The woman at the well, needed Hope. What she sought for in her previous five husbands and her current relationship, she could not find. (John 4:16-18)

Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” (John 4:13, 14 NLT)

I don't know about you, but I need Jesus to be my Hope dealer. There's no doubt that I am His, but that doesn't defy the fact that I live in a very daunting and harsh world. A world where I have sought approval, fulfillment and security in things, people, work, tasks and purpose.

Jesus reminds us, that it is only Him that can satisfy.

The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, (John 4:28 NLT)

Hope satisfied, leaves us filled, yearning for nothing else. The woman who went to the well was filled with Jesus. She left her water jar at the well.


As did the woman, so did I.

Mercy, hope and love is yours.

Love
Renee Jael

"Lioness Arising"

Awaken in me Your desires for me and this world so that every individual will know true hope and true love.

Lioness arising, she's fully awake and fully capable of doing all that's demanded of her. Demanded?

She knows what's required of her and what it takes to accomplish it. She embraces her responsibilities. She understands sacrifice. She understands protection. She's nurturing and grooming(taking care of a fellow lioness). She does well with others and is available to serve. She's fully awake of her surroundings.

In each woman is a lioness that is fully awake or awaiting to be awakened.
Lisa Bevere's book "Lioness Arising" and her talk at the Resilient Women's conference at Victory World Church confirmed what I could never put into words. She helped me understand why I had relentless desires for stewardship, nurturing and grooming. It revealed why my heart was big for the nations and why it yearns to see the captives set free. This truth unveiled my place as a woman in community.

I live as a lioness arising, becoming fully awake with each day that I choose to heed to my calling. Not only to answer a God ordained call to steward my gifts, but also to be fully aware of whom to serve and how to serve the people in my life and at my place of worship.


To every woman, you are called to be fully awake. Regardless of the war against you, this life requires it, be fierce and confident in who you were made to be.

A lioness,fully awake.

Unending love

I ponder deeply on the value of life, how tomorrow is not promised to us. Of how breath isn't guaranteed, but eternal life is, if we live for our truest love, Jesus.

This morning as my feet hit the ground or were about to hit the ground (non-morning person blurs) Jesus whispered "Love IS life unending".


God's kind of love is everlasting. For surely in heaven He'll love us too. Prior to this morning, thus truth never resounded like it did today.

He promised the Israelites, a wavering people, unending love.
The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. Jeremiah 31:3

And yet we too are like the Israelites. Won over by God's love.
How has Our Creator's love drawn us? With unfailing kindness. I encourage us to search our hearts to see God's kindness in our lives so that our hearts remain filled with gratitude and contentment in Him.

The most evident and propelling way is seeing kindness through humility and sacrifice. At times it does not make sense that Jesus died for us on a cross. But I guarantee when we survey the deep mysteries and wonders of God, His word and the level of sacrifice by willingly giving His only Son, our hearts to bow in reverence and embrace what He has done.

But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, "Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:8-13 NIV)


May His peace bring you goose bumps, joy and peace that His kind if love is forever.

Mercy,love and grace is yours.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8, 9 NIV)

Reneejael