Are We Afraid of the Power?

"I'm sorry Mrs. Hicks but it appears that you have too much scar tissue and the chances of you ever conceiving are slim to none." The doctor’s words washed over me like a dark cloud and dragged me down into the depths of despair.

We had been married for a while and weren't having any success on the 'baby making front'. This wasn't from any lack of effort on our part however. I just knew the doctor would be able to settle this for me. Oh, such utter disappointment.

In complete frustration I reached out to God. I knew there was power in Him. I'd heard it about it many times. To be honest though, I was downright fearful of it. What if He rejected me? What if I wasn't good enough? What if the power was too much for me to handle? I ever so tentatively reached out but I was just too scared to grab hold of the hem of Jesus.

Yet, God was ever faithful. He put me in the path of two Godly women who laid hands on me and prayed for healing in my womb. They stood in the gap for me and helped me stand strong. The power of the Holy Spirit washed over me. I plugged into that power while praying daily for a child.

In Mark chapter 5:24-34 we find a woman with a bleeding problem who had suffered for years and been to countless doctors. She not only didn't get well, she got worse. She heard about Jesus and knew there was power to be found in Him. When she saw Him, she reached out and touched the hem of His garment believing He could heal her. Jesus immediately felt power go out of Him and the woman was healed.

Now what if she had been too afraid? What if she had reached out but at the last minute pulled back because of fear of the unknown? She had been to numerous doctors and nothing had worked so far, so why would this?

Could she really trust that this time would be different? What if she hadn't reached out and had the faith to believe? She'd still be where she was, stuck in the same old pattern.

Numerous other people brushed into Jesus during that same encounter. Jesus never commented about power going out of Him when they touched Him. The woman put her faith into action. She moved towards Jesus and that's where healing was found.

Many of us reach for Jesus' power but out of fear we pull back at the last minute. Do we really want His power and the resulting change that might come from it?

The power doesn't come from just knowing about Jesus. We have to make the effort to reach out and grab hold of it. The Holy Spirit is active, alive and powerful! He is waiting for us to reach out, grab hold and hang on.

Move beyond the fear! This power comes by making a choice, not just by chance.

We need to make the choice to reach out willingly and grab the hem of Jesus. Latch onto that power and let the Holy Spirit work in and through you.

My oldest son is now 20 years old and is a constant reminder of the power available to us. Make the choice, reach out and grab hold of the power from the Holy Spirit!

Earthly Love Notes from Our Heavenly Father

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Psalm 19:1 (NLT)

The hills all across the horizon were dotted with ewes and their new baby lambs.

The sun kissed different parts of the pasture with sparkles of beautiful light. I could feel the presence of the Lord all around me sitting on the hilltop.

I knew he was speaking to me through His creation. Reminders all around me of his handiwork. Love notes from our creator for His created!

Even amongst all the struggles of the last year, I could feel God’s love and presence permeating every part of me.

When people talk about where I live they most often say “way out in the sticks”. When I tell people where I live I always say, “In God’s country”.

The Lord has been so generous with his love. He lets me be a part of his daily miracles. He sends me little love notes throughout the day.

A calf bucking and playing across the pasture.

The shadows dancing in tree lined canyons.

A new foal just figuring out his wobbly legs.

An early morning, golden sunrise across the vast horizon.

A long, hot day in the hayfield surrounded by my family.

God speaks to us in many ways. Through his word, by the Holy Spirit and love notes wonderfully placed just for us throughout God’s creation.

Even in the middle of heart wrenching issues God has a way of reaching out and reminding me how much He loves me. When I have felt like I’m drowning in worry and fear the Holy Spirit gives me a gentle reminder of how much I’m loved by the creator of all this splendor.

I realize life this side of heaven can be very difficult and the thought of a sunset helping us through our problems might seem farfetched. When that sunset is a love note from the God of the universe it more than possible.

Father, I’m so blessed by the glorious love notes you help open my eyes to throughout the day. Help me to always stay sensitive to Your glory all around in me. In Jesus name, amen.

Seek God Diligently and Find Him

Five Minute Friday is so much fun for me. No pressure! Simply a word prompt on twitter (#fmfparty) on Thursday night and then write. No overthinking or editing. There is a linkup on Friday at http://katemotaung.com where we can read other's five minute free write. This week's prompt is: FIND

GO...

My family and I raise sheep. It has been said that sheep aren’t always the smartest creatures. It depends on what day you ask me on what answer you’ll get from me.

Lambing season is in the spring and it’s fast and furious. It doesn’t take long for exhaustion to find me. Even in the midst of all the fatigue it isn’t hard to find God right in the middle of all of it with me.

One particularly long day while I was checking heavies (getting close to lambing) I came across 4 ewes all trying to claim one lamb. Now ewes can have multiple lambs but I’ve never seen a lamb have multiple mothers.

Two of the 4 ewes had their water bags out so I knew they were close but hadn’t lambed yet but it was clear that 2 of them had. So where was the second lamb? I walked all over and tried to find the little bugger. No luck!

Then I looked up to find one of my livestock guardian dogs staring at the ground in front of her. There wasn’t anything that jumped out at me on why she was staring at the grass but I walked over to get a better idea.

That’s when I heard it. The faint cry of a lamb that sounded like it was coming from well beneath the earth. It appeared that as her mother laid down to give birth to her she literally dropped her into a gaping hole in the ground.

We had to diligently seek to find our little lamb. It wasn’t an easy process to dig her out of the hole as it was quite deep. It wasn’t easy but it was SO worth it. Not only were we super excited to find her but her mother was as well.

God loves us and wants us near Him. He tells us that if we diligently seek Him we WILL find Him.

Many times we simply need to look up!

Are You Striving to Be Worthy of God's Love?

I don’t know about you but it has taken me awhile to fully understand how much God loves me. Come on, the God of the universe loving ME. How is that even possible?

He had to know all about my mistakes and sins. There were way too many dirty little secrets to make me lovable.

Maybe if I could just try a little harder to look perfect and hide my failures I could feel worthy of His love. Stuff all the yucky stuff down a little deeper and put on my good Christian girl badge.

Our society places a lot of value on how well we perform so it is far too easy to translate it to our relationship with God.

We can never perform well enough to earn salvation though. EVER!

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (ESV)

Can we just try and park not only our brains on this truth but let our hearts just simmer there as well. He didn’t wait for us to be perfect before He loved us. He loved us before we ever accepted Him.

I don’t know about you but sometimes I find it difficult to even love those who have fully accepted and loved me. But, God IS love.

I’ll admit my past sins as well as a feeling of abandonment from God had kept me from wanting to look to God for love and acceptance.

So many of our frail human relationships are based on performing and earning love. It becomes a habit that keeps us striving to attain something we know we’re missing.

The only striving we should be concerned about is seeking God's face!

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  

Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV)

I honestly thought doing all the “right” things negated the fact that I didn’t really have a relationship with God. I mean, isn’t He the big judge in the sky with a condemning gavel? Best to just try and stay on His good side, right?

How did I miss the truth all those years? So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (NLT)

Once we make the decision to accept Christ we belong to Him. He doesn’t condemn us. He welcomes us with loving arms.

I will take this loving relationship with Jesus over religion any day of the week!

Now that good Christian girl badge has been replaced with a heart for Jesus and sharing His love with everyone I can.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to stop striving to earn God’s love and rest in the knowledge that He already loves you completely check out this series.

Your Divine Connection

I’m praying with you friend!

Learn to Leave it at the Cross

Five Minute Friday is so much fun for me. No pressure! Simply a word prompt on twitter (#fmfparty) on Thursday night and then write. No overthinking or editing. There is a linkup on Friday at http://katemotaung.com where we can read other's five minute free write. This week's prompt is: LEARN

GO...

I am one of the redeemed! Set apart with a brand new heart. I am free indeed.

This might sound a little audacious but it took me a long time to learn my true identity and I hold onto it for dear life now.

The choices other people made that affected me as well as my own choices that caused pain held me for way too long.

I LOVE the song “Dear Younger Me” by Mercy Me as it sums up how so many of us feel so well.

There are so many bumps along the road of life. If we could learn to let go of the painful memories we can find true freedom. They don’t define us!

God sees our heart not our past. He is calling us to leave it at the cross.

Therefore, now no condemnation awaits those who are living in Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King, because when you live in the Anointed One, Jesus, a new law takes effect. The law of the Spirit of life breathes into you and liberates you from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2 (VOICE)

How great is this! The power of the life giving Spirit has breathed into us and liberated us. We can truly learn to leave it at the cross. Lay it down friend! Don’t look back.

Learn from the past but don’t live there. Tweet @LauraAHicks

Stop

If you’re struggling with a painful past or chains that you feel still have a hold of you please know that God is FOR YOU. He doesn’t want you to live in bondage. I would be honored to pray with you for deliverance and freedom. Please feel free to leave a comment (can say “unspoken” if you’d prefer) or send me a private message and I will join with you in prayer.

The Maker's Hand

We're going to switch gears here just a little today. I'm super excited to share some of my brother's poetry with you. He's talented in so many ways and has a powerful testimony that God is using for His glory. I hope to share it with you in the near future. 

I’ve traveled all the world and seen a lot of land,

And boys I’m here to tell ya I’ve seen the Maker’s hand.

I’ve seen it in the spring time with baby calves on the ground,

Watching mom lick em off let em suck, and get em comin round.

And in the fall way up high when the huntin is the best,

In that wild free old country we call way out west.

I’ve seen it in the eyes of kids from India to peru

And heard it in their laughter playing with folks like me and you.

Now boys don’t think I’m going soft, and I ain’t always right.

But I’ll tear up when I look to Him and see His starry night.

See there’s choices I have made and seeds I have sown,

And often they leave me feeling I’m still all alone.

But by His grace I’ll cross over into that promised land,

And meet Him face to face, to shake my Maker’s Hand.

(An original work by Elgin Hines  Oct. 31 2007)