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dancingwithjoy
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Name: Chelsea
Birthday: 10/22/1982
Gender: Female
Interests: I enjoy the Word, dancing, reading, hiking, biking, the great hobby of eating, singing/music, interior design, art, working with kids, hanging out with friends and family and loving on my husband.
Expertise: Seeking God, singing, dancing, children and eating....not eating kids!
Occupation: Education/training
Message: message me
Member Since:
2/16/2006
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| Mourning into DancingThough I have greatly slacked on journaling in this season, I have been reading: Isaiah, John and just finished Esther.
As I read Esther, I was impressed as I reflected on Mordecai's journey. From my recollection, the book of Esther occurs over at least two to three years....as my rough guess. I observed how Mordecai went through a time of interceding, mourning, interceding some more, and then there was a break through as God's power and grace began to appear on the scene. God knew what He was doing all along, but from Mordecai's stance, it looked life life as he knew it was unraveling at the seams.
Now, what I am not saying is that when we presevre that God will promote us to a position of power with a big house...as happened in this case. But when we endure, God will indeed turn our mourning into a holiday, and our sorrow into dancing.
Look at Naomi in the book of Ruth. She was bereaved of her husband and her only sons and returned to her former home with a whole lot of nothing. In fact, she told people, "don't call me Naomi (joy) but call me Mara (bitterness) for the Lord has dealt bitterly with me." Yikes. But God worked over time in her life and restored her family like she never could have imaged.
Look at Jesus. From day one, he was considered a bastard, an illegitimate child by most everyone. As He ministered and heal folks, they continually tried to stone (kill) him. And then He suffered an excruciating death. But the victory came when death could not hold Him and He paved the way for each of us to be sons and daughters of the Most High God.
And the disciples that were with Jesus walked the same road as Him for three years, expecting Him to be a literal king who would end all their problems. His death through them for the loop of a lifetime. But His resurrection changed them forever. For the rest of their lives, the testimony of who Jesus was for them and wants to be for everyone became their life mission. That everyone might know Christ. Most of these men were beat up somewhat regularly and eventually killed. But what is Paul writes? "For me to live is to rejoice in your growth, and for me to die is to be with Jesus." The way he saw it, he couldn't lose regardless if he lived of died because he understood that as we humble ourselves before God and men, that the fears, hurts, and pains of this world have no hold on us and the joy of our salvation takes root like never before.
Jesus invited us to "lay our heavy burdens down" because His load for us to carry is light. How will you respond? Personally, I'm tired of being afraid, worried and discouraged. Jesus meant every word He said, what if we trusted Him and really lived life on earth to the fullest and best of our ability without feeling sorry for ourselves for the trials we experience? God tells us what would occur and it's beautiful. We would become the people He meant for us to be: more than a conqueror, overcomers in Christ, the salt of the earth, light in the darkness.
I could go on for hours journaling my thoughts on this, but ultimately I will just end up repeating one great truth:
To be the overcomer that we are meant to be, we must actively overcome and endure. God has already told us that He "goes before us and makes smooth the rough places", that "no weapon formed against us shall prosper" and that He'll work everything to our good when we love Him and seek His will in our lives".
The moral of this story is the time has come to remove our gravecloths and to put on a garmet of praise. It is a new day, a day of victory and of overcoming.
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| Healing: A Renewed PerspectiveI have been epileptic since childhood. I cannot count how many times I have prayed for deliverance from this affliction or the number of folks I have had pray for me in this way. Over the last twenty years, I have had periods of frustration, confusion, and anger towards God. "If You love me so much, why won't You heal me?!?"
The long in the short of it is that often the healing we envision is pretty far from the healing God has in store for us. I may still have to walk out the diagnoses of epilepsy in my daily life and keep a good attitude about it. But the emotional, mental and spiritual healing God has been working in me over the last four months is far greater than any physical healing ever could be. Why? Because I am learning what it means to walk through the tribulations of this life and yet overcome as Jesus promised us.
While I wanted the easy street, God saw that it was far more profitable from me to be stretched and tried that I might move closer to being "immovable". Because of Christ's redemptive work, we can be free of all worry, fear, and depression to name a few. But the choice is ours: will we be victims or will be trust Him at His word?
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| What Satan meant for harm, God is using for great thingsI have heard it said that it is in the darkest hours that one learns and knows God best. While walking through the "valley of the shadow of death" is not where I ever hope to be, it's not up to me and it is where I have been. To give you some context of where I am coming from, over the last month I have had a sensation of anxiety that has grown in frequency. I talked to many doctors about this and they performed tests and came up with nothing. Last Thursday it came to a climax and became apparent that it was not anxiety or heart palpitations but rather seizure auras. I have been diagnosed epileptic since I was a child but my seizures had been very few over the last five years. That night I woke about 2am and began having seizures every 5-10 minutes and by 6am had a seizure that lasted over 10 minutes. Thus my husband took me to the emergency room and I ended up admitted to OHSU for a 72 hour video EEG. Things got worse over the weekend as my stress increased and rest decreased. By Sunday night by seizures were still coming every 15-20 minutes and it felt like I couldn't breath during them. I wrote a letter to Will on the premise of "if I die" because I thought I might. And at this point, we had no idea how our baby (in the womb) was holding up, though I could still feel him moving. That was the ultimate low point. After several talks with various doctors and my mom (who is the expert in my seizure history), I came to the realization that I had indeed had seizures like those previously but blocked them out of memory morealess. Monday evening my mom made a six hour drive from Spokane to come be hands on help. I was given an ultra sound while having seizures every 20 minutes or so, and we learned that baby doesn't mind my seizures and keeps about his activity as normal. Praise God for keeping our son safe! Things began to improve as I slept more and limited stress. By Tuesday morning I was given the option of going home, but I wasn't sure I wanted to leave my safety bubble in the hospital room. I left that evening and began to ease myself back into life's "normal" routine.
But even though my seizures had greatly decreased, there were still many decisions to be made. Such as, do I close my in-home daycare and we move back to our condo, how much can I handle, do I hire an assisant or have my Will come work with me a month or two eariler than intended, do I leave town with my mom and escape, etc. I'd like to say I prayed about it and the Lord made things perfectly clear. But I felt for days like I was being tossed back and forth on the waves of a raging sea. Thursday night Will and I sat down and talked things out and decided that he would give two weeks notice at his job and come and help me eailer than intended, which is what I had been hoping and praying for. So I began the search for willing folks who would help be a pair of extra hands over those two weeks and our awesome God has provided.
When I look over the last month, I am moved with gratitude. Yes, it has been hard and trying. But God has been so faithful to us. There were plenty of open doors for lesser choices that could have lead to the begining of our demise. But when we have called upon the name of Jesus, He has been mighty to save, provide and protect. If God is for us, it truley does not matter what our circumstances are because Jesus has overcome death, sorrow, confusion, and division. His is the name above all other names. Several months ago, I read "what God could prevent by His power, He allows by His wisdom". When life is pleasant and easy, God is there. When the enemy comes to sift us like wheat, God is there. Because He is with me, no weapon fprmed against me shall prosper. Because Jesus lives, there is victory even in life's toughest hour. Thanks and praise are our weapons of warfare, trust and rest in Him are our armor. I cannot say that through this trial that my attitude has always been right or my prespective true; but I have throughly witnessed that when I purpose to draw near to God and resist the devil that the devil will flee and God will hold me.
How rarely to we get to pick our circumstances? It's slim to none. But God has blessed us with freewill, to chose how we will respond. Where ever you are at now and where ever you'll be soon, I encourage you to allow God to reveal His goodness to you by first posturing yourself in humilty and thanksgiving. Tell me, what can seperate us from the love of God? He has already overcome death and hell for us, all that is left for us to do is to reach out and take His hand and He will lead us in victory. I'm not out the woods yet, I know there is still ebb and flow to come as we walk through transition but Satan has been vanquished and Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. If or more realistically, when, He allows hardship and trial to meet me again, I know He will prove Himself faithful and good. There is no one like my God.
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| Isaiah 45:1-3
"Thus says the Lord God to Cyrus His anointed, in whom I have taken by the right hand to subdue nations before him and to loose the loins of kings; to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut; I will go before you and make the rough places smooth; I will shatter the door of bronze and cut through their iron bars. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name."
Deut 31:8 also talks about the Lord going before us and being with us, it continues on to say He will not fail or forsake us and that we need not be dismayed. The last few nights as Will and I have prayed at bed time, while lifting up the issue of foster parenting, I have felt God leading me to declare that He has already gone before us on this path. And then when I read that He has gone before us to make rough places smooth, it hit the bull's eye. I believe that God has given us all scripture to stand on and that because of the righteousness and blood of Jesus, that every promise in His word is ours for the taking.
Abba Father,
I love You and I give You thanks and praise for Your abundance in my life. You are holy and awesome, all powerful and mighty. There is no one like You. We are safe in Your hands and no weapon formed against us shall prosper. I declare this passage and promise in my and my families' lives, that You will open doors that were shut, go before us making smooth rough places, breaking through impossible barriers and lavishing on us the treasures and wealth that was stolen from us by our enemy because it is You who have called us by name. You have chosen us to be grafted into Your family and I delight in Your choice and say, THANK YOU! Your will be done concerning Kelowna's home life, guide her steps straight into Your purposes and plans. Guard my baby from the toils of Satan and continue to breath Your life giving breath on them. Guard my heart and mind in Your peace, joy and presence and let me not grow weary of doing what is right. I give You all glory and honor and praise in Jesus' name. Bless Will and lead him as He leads our family, be a covering about him and increase his hunger and desire for You. Thank You for blessing LoRonda, may she continue to see Your kindness and love and draw near to You. Indeed, heavens rain down righteousness and let the earth spring forth with salvation, rain down in our community and let those we know and see incounter You in real tangible ways. You are the only God who is true. Holy Spirit, be glorified and lead us where You want us to be. I love You, Jesus, amen.
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| Isaiah 44
verse 3-4
"For I will pour out water on thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring and My blessings on your descendants; they will spring up among the grass like poplars by the steams of water."
This was so meaningful for me to read, probably because I'm pregnant and looking around at what is happening in this culture and in our nation, I cringe to think that my little guy/gal will have to swim against this current. But you know what the darkness around us truly accomplishes best? Making the light of Jesus Christ shine even brighter. Just as God is with me, God will be with them, too and He will illuminate all the darkness of their community by His power.
Lord Jesus,
I give You thanks and praise for Your faithfulness to Your word. Certainly, we have nothing to fear with You as our Lord. I both ask for wisdom and truth for Will and I that we might teach our children to love and adore You and I give You praise in advance for I know You will. Thank You that You guide our steps and lead us in Your everlasting ways. Be glorified in us today. Amen.
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