Today is a beautiful morning! I just spent six days in the mountains camping with my new family from Cornerstone church and God truly blessed me in ways I had longed for. We hiked to beautiful waterfalls, jumped from boulders, swam in crystal clear water, some even made a herbal essence shampoo video at the water fall *cannot contain the giggles*, we ate so many good things, had great talks, watched colorful sunsets and rises, kayaked on the lake, took silhouette pictures on the sand doing crazy things like human pyramids and acrobats, learned more about each other and ourselves, sang our lungs raw, and just enjoyed the freedom Christ has lavished us with. What a truly wonderful time I had camping. Thank you God; You plans for me are so perfect.
I haven't yet been accepted into the SOW. I don't know if I will. I'm waiting to hear through email but God knows the plans He has for me and I know He doesn't want me to freak out but to just enjoy every day and not strive for the future.
I have been reading through Exodus in my morning time with the Lord and He pointed out something very simple to me. I want to share it so that you are encouraged and that if you are having trouble with God's plan for you, that your head would be lifted knowing that He is good and He wants to use you. Exodus 4:1-5
Then Moses answered and said, "But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, 'the LORD has not appeared to you.'" So the LORD said to him "What is that in your hand?" He said, "A rod." And He said, "Cast it on the ground." So he cast it on the ground and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail" (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand) "that they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you."
Moses was a bit scared about the calling the Lord had placed upon His life. He said, "I'm slow of speech... I'm not eloquent" so the Lord gave Moses Aaron, as a helper, as a mouth piece. Before Moses asked for that, he said, "How will the Israelites know that you sent me?" And God said, "I AM WHO I AM... you will tell the children of Israel I AM has sent you." For every one of Moses' fears, God provided and gave an answer. God told Moses that He was sending him to Egypt because He had heard the cry of His children and He wanted to deliver them; Moses just wanted to make sure God had picked the right guy for the job. Then again, Moses' faith was wavered and he said, "suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, 'the LORD has not appeared to you.'" God said, "What is that in your hand?"
When I read through this passage, I so relate to Moses; I hear the call upon my life and I immediately start to question, doubt, waver, and ask, "God, are you sure you want me to do this?" But what God pointed out to me this most recent time I read through this passage was that He equips us, when we don't even realize it, and gives us all we need for what He wants to accomplish through us. Moses needed to know the name of the One sending Him; that name that is all described in I AM. Moses needed Aaron as his mouth piece, his helper; so Moses brought before the LORD his concern about not being able to speak well and God gave Him Aaron. Then Moses wonders, "How will they really believe me?" And God said, "Look at what is in your hand moses. I will use that rod, that rod that you have been using to shepherd your sheep in Midian. That rod that you have used to fight away wolves and lead your sheep along the right path. I will use what is in your hand, what has been in your hand these forty years. I have already equipped you, now go and fulfill my call and my plans. And that rod in your hand will reveal My wonders Moses and bring deliverence to My people."
That is God's heart. I realized that is God's heart for me. He wants to use what He's already given me... whether it's just my fingers to play piano and a voice to sing, or whether is the pin and paper I have in my hands to write or the laptop I'm using right now. God doesn't ask us to do something He's not prepared us for; what a comfort and what a sweet reminder from my I AM.
So for you too, whatever you feel God is calling you to do or leading you into, know He's equipped you even if you don't feel ready. What is that in your hand? What has God given you already? Well, I can confidently say that He will use it and His wonders will be seen through you. Do bring your requests to Him; do make known to your Almighty I AM that you need help or that you are scared. Most of all, know that God loves you so much and that He desires to rescue His children when they cry out to Him.
There is a song that often floods my mind when I think of crying out to God and it says this:
You hear every word I cry. My tears, you have turned to life. You're here, Lord You satisfy my soul. Lord You satisfy my Soul, Lord you Satisfy my soul." The song is by Jimmy Robeson and I encourage you to lisen to the full version his site www.jimmyrobeson.com.
I hope you are filled with joy and ready to cry out to the Lord and walk in His calling for you! May your heart beat in sync with His today and may you continue to be set apart for Christ.
Handmaiden of the Lord,
Melissa Rae
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
An Update from Napa Valley
An update has been long overdue. God has been doing some great things for me during this past month and a half and I want to share them all with you.
I know God has a specific calling upon My life to be His ambassador... He has called all His children into that ministry! As most of you know, I have a more specific desire to spread the Love of Jesus to young women. I know I am called into that field. With the calling comes such great responsibility. With that calling comes so much warfare too! Oh how Satan would love to defeat me and keep me from being a light of God's love but oh, how our precious heavenly Father would have every step be taken in faith and prosperous for His glory. With that, I have been presented a great opportunity by my awesome brother-in-law Petey to start a discipleship time among the high school group at Cornerstone Ministry in Napa. The girls are so precious and beautiful and wonderful. With this opportunity that is presented, I was reminded to ask the counsel of the Lord. Here's the scripture that I am meditating on:
Then the men of Israel took some o their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the LORD.
-Joshua 9:14
Joshua and the leaders of Israel made a great mistake in making a treaty with the Gibeonites, a people they were to destroy. Joshua's fault was that he didn't ask the counsel of the Lord. He looked at the obvious; He saw the Gibeonite ambassador's moldy bread and worn shoes, took some of their provisions and made peace with them. I don't want to make that mistake. I want to ask God's counsel and walk in His will.
I am praying for God to reveal if His will for me is to stay here in the ministry to the youth or if it is just for this summer season. I ask for your prayers also and greatly covet them.
Many of you also know that I have sent in an application to the School of Worship in Costa Mesa, CA. I have not yet received an acceptance letter and I don't know if I will! I visited the SOW website and saw that there was a change in the application forms, so I contacted the SOW through an email. Christina, the head of correspondence, said that I just need to mail in the newly added form. I want to mail that in either today or tomorrow and see how the Lord further directs.
God knows the plans He has for me; in that I can be assured. I am not worried about how He will lead, but I do admit, I am a bit anxious to hear from Him. But, what should I do when anxiety arises? Philippians 4:5-7 says, "Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. "
Whatever God does, whether I understand it or not, it will be Him. I need to continue to pray and make supplications in thanksgiving. His peace is great; In that I rest.
I also recently went to a mission trip into Baja Sur, Mexico with a wonderful group of brothers and sisters from Cornerstone church. I was blessed that God had that in His will for me! I was completely surprised too... I decided to go a day before we left! God's timing and surprises are great! We spent two days traveling, arrived in Vizcaino and spent four days there, then traveled back the last two days. We distributed rice and beans to precious families in the Sierra mountains; people that live in a nomadic way with goat farming as their main source of income and lively hood. One family we visted all accepted Christ; the Gospel melted their hearts and I can't wait to reunite with them in heaven. They also sold us 3 1/2 lbs. of fresh goat cheese for only 9 u.s. dollars! Crazy, huh?
The whole trip was a time of faith growing, especially as we trekked through the Sierra's. Two of our group members became deathly dehydrated. We had to revise our plans so we could get them the electrolytes and IV's they needed. God sustained us. I could go on and on with details about the trip... details about the faces I saw, people I met, and times God revealed His greatness to my heart, and I'm sure as the weeks go by, I will post some of them. Again, I was just a bit floored that God had that trip in His plans for me.
I will wrap up this update. Thank you for taking your time to read it. Thank you even more for keeping me in your prayers; what a privilege it is to be prayed for in your time that you take out to converse with God. Prayer is powerful. If you have any questions, please do ask! I would love to hear from you and to hear what God is doing in your heart and life.
Heaven awaits us! As much a God has for us here, this earth is passing away and we have eternity with our Savior awaiting. May the Lord fill your thoughts with things that are lovely and of good report and may you continue to grow in Him, rooted and built up in Him.
Handmaiden of the Lord,
Melissa Rae
I know God has a specific calling upon My life to be His ambassador... He has called all His children into that ministry! As most of you know, I have a more specific desire to spread the Love of Jesus to young women. I know I am called into that field. With the calling comes such great responsibility. With that calling comes so much warfare too! Oh how Satan would love to defeat me and keep me from being a light of God's love but oh, how our precious heavenly Father would have every step be taken in faith and prosperous for His glory. With that, I have been presented a great opportunity by my awesome brother-in-law Petey to start a discipleship time among the high school group at Cornerstone Ministry in Napa. The girls are so precious and beautiful and wonderful. With this opportunity that is presented, I was reminded to ask the counsel of the Lord. Here's the scripture that I am meditating on:
Then the men of Israel took some o their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the LORD.
-Joshua 9:14
Joshua and the leaders of Israel made a great mistake in making a treaty with the Gibeonites, a people they were to destroy. Joshua's fault was that he didn't ask the counsel of the Lord. He looked at the obvious; He saw the Gibeonite ambassador's moldy bread and worn shoes, took some of their provisions and made peace with them. I don't want to make that mistake. I want to ask God's counsel and walk in His will.
I am praying for God to reveal if His will for me is to stay here in the ministry to the youth or if it is just for this summer season. I ask for your prayers also and greatly covet them.
Many of you also know that I have sent in an application to the School of Worship in Costa Mesa, CA. I have not yet received an acceptance letter and I don't know if I will! I visited the SOW website and saw that there was a change in the application forms, so I contacted the SOW through an email. Christina, the head of correspondence, said that I just need to mail in the newly added form. I want to mail that in either today or tomorrow and see how the Lord further directs.
God knows the plans He has for me; in that I can be assured. I am not worried about how He will lead, but I do admit, I am a bit anxious to hear from Him. But, what should I do when anxiety arises? Philippians 4:5-7 says, "Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. "
Whatever God does, whether I understand it or not, it will be Him. I need to continue to pray and make supplications in thanksgiving. His peace is great; In that I rest.
I also recently went to a mission trip into Baja Sur, Mexico with a wonderful group of brothers and sisters from Cornerstone church. I was blessed that God had that in His will for me! I was completely surprised too... I decided to go a day before we left! God's timing and surprises are great! We spent two days traveling, arrived in Vizcaino and spent four days there, then traveled back the last two days. We distributed rice and beans to precious families in the Sierra mountains; people that live in a nomadic way with goat farming as their main source of income and lively hood. One family we visted all accepted Christ; the Gospel melted their hearts and I can't wait to reunite with them in heaven. They also sold us 3 1/2 lbs. of fresh goat cheese for only 9 u.s. dollars! Crazy, huh?
The whole trip was a time of faith growing, especially as we trekked through the Sierra's. Two of our group members became deathly dehydrated. We had to revise our plans so we could get them the electrolytes and IV's they needed. God sustained us. I could go on and on with details about the trip... details about the faces I saw, people I met, and times God revealed His greatness to my heart, and I'm sure as the weeks go by, I will post some of them. Again, I was just a bit floored that God had that trip in His plans for me.
I will wrap up this update. Thank you for taking your time to read it. Thank you even more for keeping me in your prayers; what a privilege it is to be prayed for in your time that you take out to converse with God. Prayer is powerful. If you have any questions, please do ask! I would love to hear from you and to hear what God is doing in your heart and life.
Heaven awaits us! As much a God has for us here, this earth is passing away and we have eternity with our Savior awaiting. May the Lord fill your thoughts with things that are lovely and of good report and may you continue to grow in Him, rooted and built up in Him.
Handmaiden of the Lord,
Melissa Rae
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